^ 



liii^ti 




iiiiiHiimHumm I i 




Class ;',. 1^^ 

Book__LX 

Gopyii^htN^. 



Book ^yug. 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSrr 



OUR COLONIAL HISTORY 



FROM THE 



DISCOVERY TO THE REVOLUTION 



{For FIFTH GRADES) 



BY 

OSCAR GERSON, Ph. D. 



t^ 



PHILADELPHIA AND NEW YORK 

HINDS, NOBLE & ELDREDGE 



^,^« 

&-:■■ 



KiBHARY of OONd-iESS' 




M/< •"• -out 

AXCi No. 



Copyright. 1908 
HINDS. NOBLE & ELDREDGE 



CONTENTS 



PART I. — Discovery and Exploration 

PAGE 

Introduction. — Early Ideas i 

Chapter I. — Columbus 7 

§ I. Geographical Ideas at the Time of Columbus 7 

§ 2. Efforts to Obtain a Fleet 1 1 

§ 3. Discovery of America 14 

Chapter 11. — Spanish Discoveries 19 

Chapter 111. — English Discoveries 29 

Chapter IV. — French Discoveries 33 

Chapter V. — Dutch Discoveries 39 

Chapter VI. — The American Indians 43 

Summary 49 

PART 11. — English Colonies in America 

Introduction. — Planting the Colonies 53 

Chapter VII. — The Southern Colonies 55 

§ I. Virginia 55 

§ 2. Maryland 66 

§ 3. The Carolinas • 7° 

§ 4. Georgia 73 

§ 5. Life in the Southern Colonies 75 

Summary^ 11 

iii 



iv CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Chapter VIII. — The New England Colonies 79 

§ I. Massachusetts 79 

§ 2. New Hampshire and Maine 88 

I 3. Rhode Island and Connecticut 89 

§ 4. Troubles with the Indians 93 

§ 5. Life in New England 94 

Summary 99 

Chapter IX. — The Middle Colonies loi 

§ I. New York loi 

§ 2. New Jersey 107 

^ 3. Pennsylvania and Delaware 108 

§ 4. Life in Middle Colonies 117 

Summary 119 

PART III. — The Establishment of EngHsh Supremacy in America 

Conflict of Claims 120 

Chapter X. — The Intercolonial Wars 123 

§ I. The Struggle for Acadia 123 

§ 2. The Final Contest 125 

Summary 134 

Chapter XL — Colonial Life and Government 136 

§ I. Life in Colonial Times 136 

§ 2. Government of the Colonies 145 



PART I 
DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 



NTRODUCTION 



I . Early Ideas of the Extent of the World.— About four or 
five hundred years ago there were no white people living in 
America. The only inhabitants of that continent were savage 




The World as 
Known to Colum- 
bus (light parts 
only were know^n). 



Indians and Eskimos. The people of the white race lived in 
Europe, western and southern Asia, and northern Africa. 



2 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 

Eastern Asia was inhabited by people of the yellow race and 
nearly all of Africa was inhabited by negroes. 

The white people of Europe were the most highly civilized 
of all the people on the globe. Although they had schools 
and colleges, they did not know very much about the extent 
of the world. The school-children of to-day know much 
more about geography than wise men knew at that time. 
They had no idea that there was such a place as America; 
neither did they know anything about Australia or Oceanica. 
In fact, when they spoke of the world, they thought about 
only those parts in which they lived — Europe, southern and 
western Asia, and northern Africa. 

2. New Interest in Geography. — Between the thirteenth 
and fifteenth century, however, some of the learned men of 
Europe began to take great interest in geography. They 
wanted to find out about all parts of the earth. Just as 
explorers to-day are trying to reach the North Pole, so the 
navigators of those days felt very anxious to visit new parts 
of the earth. 

3. The Adventures of Marco Polo.— As early as the thir- 
teenth century two brothers, Nicolo and Maffeo Polo, started 
on a long journey from their native city, Venice. Nicolo 's 
son Marco, a boy of seventeen years, also went with them. 
After a long trip through Asia, across mountains and over 
deserts, they reached the northwestern part of China. Here 
they met the ruler of that country, the famous Kublai Khan. 
He treated the Polos in a friendly manner, and they grew very 
rich during their stay in his country. 

At last they came back to Venice. They had been gone 
twenty-four years and their own friends did not recognize them. 



INTRODUCTION 3 

Marco Polo had grown to be a stout, middle-aged man. After 
they had been home a few days they gave a dinner party and 
invited some of their old friends. At the close of the banquet 
they brought out three old coats. Ripping them open, out 
fell diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and other kinds of precious 
stones. The guests opened their eyes wide with astonishment. 
The story spread rapidly, and the people of Europe were now 
more anxious than ever to visit eastern Asia, where the Polos 
had obtained all this wealth. 

Later Marco Polo wrote a book about his travels. It was 
eagerly read all over Europe. It contained descriptions of 







^v" \i 




A Caravan. 



China, Japan, India, and the islands of eastern Asia. The 
people of Europe thus found out more about these lands than 
they had ever known before. 

4. The Trade with Eastern Asia.— The merchants of 



4 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 

Europe, particularly those of the South, along the Mediterra- 
nean, now began to carry on a profitable trade with eastern 
Asia. They bought silks, spices, medicines, costly woolens, etc. 
Vessels sailed along the Mediterranean to Constantinople, and 
from there an overland journey was made through Asia. 
Venice, the city of Marco Polo, became one of the wealthiest 
ports on account of this commerce. 

By the middle of the fifteenth century, however, this trade 
had been almost stopped. There was a new ruler of China, 
who was not so friendly to foreigners as Kublai Khan had been. 
In fact, he would not allow any white people to enter China at 
all. About this time the Turks began to get control of the 
eastern Mediterranean. They were Mohammedans and hated 
all Christians. They were ferocious warriors and they thought 
it no sin to rob a Christian vessel. In 1453, when the Turks 
conquered Constantinople, the Christian merchants of Venice 
and other Mediterranean seaports were unable to continue 
their profitable trade. 

5. New Routes to India. — When the people found that they 
no longer could get to eastern Asia by the overland route 
through Constantinople, they began to seek some other way 
to reach these wealthy lands. The Suez Canal connecting 
the Mediterranean with the Red Sea had not yet been con- 
structed, and even if it had been, European merchants w^ould 
have been afraid to send their goods that way, on account of 
the Turks. One of the first ways thought of was to sail around 
Africa. At that time no one had ever sailed around Africa 
and no one knew its shape nor how far south it extended. 

6. The Portuguese Navigators. — It was natural that naviga- 
tors of Portugal, the most southwestern country of Europe, 



INTRODUCTION 



should make the first attempts to sail around Africa. At that 
time most people believed that in the Torrid Zone the ocean 
was boiling, and that any ships sailing so far south would 
surely be melted by the intense heat. 

The Portuguese, however, were bold and daring sailors, 
and decided to make the at- 
tempt to get to Asia by this 
southern and eastern route. 
Their ships were small and 
crude affairs, no larger than 
sailing yachts of to-day and 
not nearly so well built. 
Many voyages were made 
along the western coast of 
Africa. The sailors found 
out that the ocean at the 
Equator was not really boiling. 
Some of the vessels brought 
back gold and slaves from the 
western coast of Africa. 

In 1487 Bartholomew Dias discovered the Cape of Good 
Hope and sailed around to the Indian Ocean. His crews 
were so worn out from the long and stormy voyage that they 
made Dias turn back. It was not until ten years later, 1497, 
that another Portuguese navigator, Vasco da Qama, succeeded 
in sailing around Africa to the Indian Ocean and eastward 
across that ocean to India. 

7. Another Route Suggested. — Up to the time of da Gama's 
voyage, the merchants of Europe had not been able to find a 
new route to eastern Asia; and they still did not dare to use 




A Ship of those Days. 



DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 



the old route for fear of the Turks. Geographers began to 
ask, "Isn't there some other and perhaps a shorter way of 
reaching India?" 

The voyage around Africa had not yet been successfully 
made when an Italian navigator named Christopher Columbus 
said that he had thought out another way of reaching India. 
In the next chapter we shall learn something about the route 
he wished to try. 



CHAPTER I 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

§ I. GEOGRAPHICAL IDEAS AT THE TIME OF COLUMBUS 

8. Ideas about the Shape of the Earth. — Four hundred 
years ago nobody knew what the real shape of the earth was. 
There had been different guesses at different times, but that 
is all they were — just guesses. The earth looked flat, and 
so almost every one 
thought that it was flat. 

Hundreds of years 
before the fifteenth cen- 
tury, however, there were 
learned men who be- 
lieved that the earth was 
not flat. They had writ- 
ten books in which they 
had tried to prove that 
the earth was round. 
The theories of these 
ancient writers were 
not believed by most 
people, but there were 
some geographers who 
thought that they might be true. They were anxious to find a 
new route to India and were willing to get help from any book, 
no matter how long ago it had been written. 

7 




Columbus. 
(From original portrait by Antonio Van Moor, 1542.) 



DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 



9. Columbus's Interest in Geography.— One of the geogra- 
phers of the time was the Itahan, Christopher Columbus. He 
had been a poor boy, who loved to visit the wharves of his 
native city, Genoa, and listen to the stories told by the sailors. 
He soon became a sailor himself and later a captain. His 




Young Columbus Listening: to Sailors' Tales. 

native land, Italy, had suffered greatly through the stopping of 
the commerce with the East. There was no one in Europe 
more anxious than Columbus to find the new route. 

Columbus was particularly well fitted for the task. During 
his many voyages he had become an experienced navigator. 
He had also studied all the books about geography that he 
could find. The adventures of j\Iarco Polo had interested him 
deeply. There w^ere few men in Europe who knew as much 
about geography as Christopher Columbus. For a while he 
made his living by drawing maps and charts. 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 



Columbus had something besides experience and knowledge. 
He had courage, patience, and a stout heart. Knowledge alone 
never enabled a man to achieve any great success. Had it not 
been for the bravery and perseverance of Columbus, his name 
would long ago have been forgotten. 

10. Fear of the Unknown Sea. — Columbus was one of those 
who believed that the earth was round. He did not know 
its real shape, but thought it was something like a pear. 

North 



The Earthly 




Paradise 
West 



The Earth as Columbus 

Thoug'ht it (Pear 

Shaped). 



East 



South 

"Now," said Columbus, "if the earth is round, why could not 
India be reached by sailing west?" This certainly seemed 
a sensible idea. 

Although there were some who agreed with Columbus, 
most people still thought that the earth was flat. They 
would not venture far out on the ocean for fear of reaching 
the edge and falling off. Besides, they were superstitious and 
believed in various kinds of sea-serpents and other monsters 
which might swallow up or destroy the ships out on the unknown 
sea. The Turks of the eastern Mediterranean were bad 



lO 



DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 



enough, but still they were human beings, while the imaginary 
creatures of the distant seas filled them with uncanny horror. 

11. Mistakes Columbus Made. — After Columbus had made 
up his mind that India could be reached by sailing west, nothing 
could make him change his opinion. Many people ridiculed 
his ideas and some even thought he was crazy. Children 
on the streets would make fun of him, tapping their foreheads 




Toscanelli's Map. 



to show that they thought he had lost his senses. Columbus 
was not the kind of man to be discouraged by ridicule; in 
fact, this opposition made him all the more determined to 
prove to everybody that he was right. 

We now know that Columbus made some mistakes. He 
knew that the earth was round, but he did not know how 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS • II 

large it was. He was also ignorant of the existence of the 
continent of America. 

About four hundred years before this time, some bold 
sailors of Norway — Vikings, as they were called — had sailed 
across the Atlantic Ocean, landing in Greenland and on the 
coast of what is now New England. But nothing ever came 
of these discoveries. Even learned geographers had either 
never known or had forgotten about them. It is likely that 






&v^\! 












^ %^: ., iNDIEj 




Showing how Columbus Hoped to Reach India. 

Columbus had never heard of the Norse voyagers. He never 
dreamt that there was any large body of land in the Atlantic 
between Europe and Asia. 

§2. EFFORTS TO OBTAIN A FLEET 

12. Columbus in Search of Aid. — About 1470 Columbus 
left Italy and went to Portugal. Here he learned much of the 
attempts to sail around Africa to India. He himself went on 
several of these voyages, gaining more knowledge and experi- 
ence. The thought of reaching India by sailing west now 



12 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 

became the principal idea in the mind of Columbus. Not a 
day passed but what he wondered how he could manage to 
secure ships to make this voyage. 

Columbus had not money enough to fit out ships for himself, 
so he tried to get help from others. At first he applied to 
King John II. of Portugal and told him his plans. But the 
King's advisers thought the idea was foolish and persuaded 
the monarch not to furnish the ships. Columbus then turned 
his back on Portugal and journeyed to Spain. He left his 
home, wife, and children, taking with him only his oldest son, 
then a mere boy. 

In Spain he laid his plans before the King and Queen, 
Ferdinand and Isabella. But they had more pressing business 
on hand. Spain was at that time in the midst of a war with 
the Moors — Mohammedans who had crossed over from northern 
Africa and conquered southern Spain. The King and Queen 
were determined to conquer these Moors and drive them out. 
As the monarchs travelled about from place to place, Columbus 
followed them, begging for assistance. 

At last the Moors were conquered. All Spain was over- 
joyed at the victory. Ferdinand and Isabella now had time 
to listen to Columbus and consider his plans more seriously. 
After seven weary years of patient waiting, Columbus received 
the aid he had so long been seeking. He had made some 
good friends in Spain and they used their influence with the 
King and Queen. Besides, the Spanish monarchs were 
afraid that England or some other nation of Europe might fit 
out ships for Columbus and thus gain possession of any land 
that might be discovered. 

13. Fitting out the Fleet.— After it was decided that Spain 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 



13 



was to fit out the fleet for Columbus, it was no easy matter to 
get the crews for the vessels. The sailors of those days were 
afraid to venture out on the Sea of Darkness, as the x^tlantic 
Ocean was called. All sorts of terrors filled their minds. 
Some of them thought Columbus crazy and were afraid to 
risk their lives upon his ships. We have learned that Columbus 
thought the earth smaller than it really is. In one way this 




Columbus' Ships. 

was a lucky mistake. If the sailors had known the real size of 
the earth, they would have been still more unwilling to under- 
take the dangerous voyage. As it was, many of them had to 
be forced to go. Some of the sailors were prisoners who were 
taken out of jail and compelled to join the crews. 



14 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 

The fleet consisted of three small vessels. Christopher 
Columbus was made Admiral or Commander of all. The 
name of his ship was the Santa Maria. The other two vessels 
were named the Pinta and the Nina. Alonzo Pinzon, a famous 
navigator, was commander of the former, and his brother, 
Vincent Pinzon, commanded the latter. 

§ 3. THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA 

14. story of the Voyage. — Early in the morning of August 
3, 1492, the vessels left Palos, a seaport of Spain. The friends 
of the crew waved tearful farewells to them. They never 
expected them to escape the dangers of the Sea of Darkness 
and return alive. 

During the voyage Columbus found it extremely difficult 
to keep up the spirit of his sailors and secure obedience to his 
orders. After they had been out a few days some of them 
noticed a piece of a mast floating on the ocean. The sailors 
were sure that this was a piece of a wreck from some vessel 
which had been foolish enough to make this voyage. 

As they sailed on, day after day, across the unknown sea, 
the sailors grew more and more afraid. They wanted to turn 
back. But all their talk and pleading, even their threats of 
mutiny, could not make Columbus change his mind or his 
course. "Goon to the west!" was his constant command. 
How many men would have had the bravery and perseverance 
of Columbus? 

A reward had been offered to the man who should first see 
land. Imagine how eagerly they watched the western horizon! 
On the morning of October nth there were sure signs that 
land was near. A branch with berries on it and a hand- 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 



15 



carved stick were found floating on the water. There was not 
much sleep on those three httle ships that night. AU were 
watching. During the evening Columbus noticed a moving 
light. It looked like a torch being carried about by some one. 
The next morning, October 12, 1492, land could be plainly 
seen. A gun was fired, and the sailors shouted with joy. 

IS. The Landing of Columbus. — As soon as Columbus 




Columbus Landing-. 

landed, he fell on his knees, while tears of joy streamed down 
liis face. He bent down and kissed the ground. Then he 
drew his sword, and took possession of the land for Spain. 
All the sailors, even those who had been plotting against him 
during the voyage, now crowded around him. They fell on 
their knees, kissed his hands, and i)romised always to obey him. 



1 6 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 

Columbus thought that the island on which he had landed 
was part of eastern Asia or the Indies, as it was generally 
called. It was really one of the Bahama Islands. The naked 
savages of the islands he called Indians. This incorrect name 
has never been changed. The red men of America are still 
called Indians. 

Columbus cruised about the islands several days. Not 
finding any cities or palaces, he began to be puzzled. He had 
a letter from the King and Queen of Spain for the Great Khan 
of Cathay or China, the country that Marco Polo had written 
about. Little did Columbus think that he was over 10,000 
miles away from Asia and that a broad continent and the 
vast Pacific Ocean separated him from the Indies. 

He had discovered a new continent, a large and rich body 
of land, a continent on which some centuries later would 
flourish great nations, one of them the United States of America. 
Like many other great men, Columbus had accomplished 
more than he himself was aware of. 

16. The Return to Spain. — Columbus was greatly dis- 
appointed in not being able to find any gold or precious stones. 
He cruised about and discovered Cuba and Hayti. The 
Santa Maria had been wrecked, so Columbus had only the 
Nina and Pinta left. Leaving forty of the men who wished 
to stay, in a rude hut, Columbus and the remainder of his crew 
now started on their homeward journey. They took ten natives 
with them. 

After a stormy voyage of about seventy days, they reached 
Palos, Spain. They had been gone over seven months. 
Columbus was received with the greatest honor. The city 
was decorated as for a holiday. Columbus, accompanied by 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS I7 

many Spanish nobles, paraded through the streets to the royal 
palace. Crowds cheered him on the way, and people climbed 
to housetops to get a glimpse of the great discoverer. The 
King and Queen were waiting to receive him under a canopy 
of gold. When they heard his story, they feU upon their knees 
and thanked God. They were filled with joy at gaining posses- 
sion of the new land. They also hoped to be able to convert 
the heathen inhabitants of these lands to Christianity. 

17. Later Voyages and Death of Columbus. — Columbus did 
not have to plead seven years to be allowed to make a second 
voyage. A fleet of seventeen vessels was soon ready. Nor did 
sailors have to be forced to join the crew. Young men from 
wealthy families were anxious to go to see the new lands. 
They set sail in September, 1493. The voyage was pleasant, and 
they finally landed on one of the West India Islands. Colum- 
bus now went in search of the forty men whom he had left be- 
hind. There was nothing left of them but their bones. They had 
all been killed by the savage natives. After spending three years 
among the West Indies, Columbus again returned to Spain. 

In 1498 he made his third voyage, during which he dis- 
covered the mainland of South America, at the mouth of the 
Orinoco. But now his enemies — every great man has enemies 
— began plotting against him in Spain. They said he was a 
foreigner, that he had not kept his promise of bringing back gold 
and gems, and that he was unable to govern the Spanish colonies 
properly. At last they succeeded in having him brought back 
to Spain in chains. But when Queen Isabella heard the story 
of his hardships, she ordered him to be released. 

Columbus now made his fourth and last voyage to the 
New World. When he returned in 1504, his enemies had 



1 8 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 

again been plotting against him. Worst of all, his best friend, 
Queen Isabella, was dying. In a few weeks she was no more. 
King Ferdinand took but little interest in Columbus or his 
discoveries. The people of Spain were disappointed because 
the promised gold did not come from the new land. 




Death of Columbus. 

Wrinkled with age, and worn out by his hard labors, 
Columbus now had scarcely a friend to whom he could turn. 
At last, poor and despised, wanting even the necessaries of 
life, he died on May 20, 1506. He never knew that he had 
discovered a new continent, but died with the belief that he 
had found a new route to Asia. 



CHAPTER II 



SPANISH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 



18. Other Voyages to the New World — Why they were 
Made. — After Columbus had shown that land could be reached 
by sailing west over the Atlantic Ocean, many people of Europe 
were anxious to make voyages to the New World. 

It was true that the land discovered by Columbus was very 
different from eastern Asia, as described by jNIarco Polo and 
other writers. Still its very newness 
made it the more interesting. Even 
though this was not the Indies, they 
thought the land of silks, spices, and 
precious stones could not be very far 
away. Spain claimed the new land 
by the right of discovery. But, as 
we shall see, the other nations of 
Europe were not going to remain idle 
and let Spain have everything. 

IMany of those who sailed to the 
New World were in search of adven- 
ture. They were attracted by the chance of seeing some- 
thing new. Others were willing to risk the voyage for the 
sake of gaining riches. The New World was believed to 
contain abundant gold, silver, and precious gems. Others 
wished to visit the new lands in order to convert the heathen 
inhabitants to Christianity. For more than a hundred years 

19 




Americus Vespucius. 



20 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 

after Columbus's discovery, there were many voyages made to 
the New World to try to find a passage through it to India. 
Of course, the explorers had no idea of the great width of the 
continent nor of the broad Pacific Ocean beyond it. Another 
reason for voyages to the New World was to gain possession of 
land for the native countries of the discoverers. 




First Use of Name America on a Map. 

19. How America Received its Name. — An Italian navigator 
named Americus Vespucius, in the service of Spain, made three 
or four voyages to the New World. In 1499 he discovered the 
mainland of South America. On his return to Europe he 
published a book in which he gave a description of his dis- 
coveries. 

In 1507 a German writer named Waldseemiiller published 
a little book on geography. He thought that the new land 
should be named for Americus Vespucius. Columbus, he 



SPANISH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 



21 



said, had discovered only a few islands, while Amcricus Ves- 
puciiis had discovered a new continent. Of course, this was 
exceedingly unjust to Columbus, who surely deserved having 
the new world named 
for him. 

After Waldseemiiller 
had published his book, 
the name America be- 
gan to appear on maps 
of the New World. 
At first the name was 
used only for South 
America, but later it 
was applied to the whole 
continent. The islands 
which Columbus had 
discovered began to be 
called West Indies, to 
distinguish them from 
the Indies of eastern 
Asia. 

20. The Pope Divides 
the New World.— Short- 
ly after the discoveries 
of Columbus, the Pope 
declared that the newly 
discovered land should 
be divided between Spain and Portugal. Taking a map of the 
world, he drew a line running north and south, a hundred 
leagues west of the Azores. All land east of this line not 




FIRST MAP OF THE KEIV^ WORLD 

WITH THE NAME 

AMERICA 

APPLIED TO BOTH CONTLSENTS 

Mercator 1541 



22 



DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 







Voyages and Settlements. 



SPANISH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 



23 



belonging to any Christian nation he declared should belong 
to Portugal, and all land west of it, to Spain. A glance at 
the map will show that this gave Portugal only a small part 
of what we now call Brazil. 

21. Ponce de Leon Discovers Florida. — There were many 
stories believed in those days which seem absurd to us. One 
of these stories, which the Spaniards had often heard, was that 




Ponce de Leon Discovering Florida. 

there existed a wonderful fountain. Whoever bathed in its 
waters, it was said, would remain young and live forever. 

Ponce de Leon, a brave soldier who had accompanied 
Columbus on his second voyage, was at the time living in the 
West Indies. Something he heard the Indians say made him 



24 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 

think that this wonderful fountain was situated on an island 
named Bimini, to the north. So he secured permission from 
King Ferdinand to conquer this island. 

In March, 1513, de Leon set sail from Porto Rico, and on 
the twenty-seventh of the month, Easter Sunday, he came in 
sight of land. The Spanish name for Easter is "Pascua 
Florida," so de Leon named the land Florida. He returned 
to Porto Rico and later, in 1521, he took a colony to Florida. 
Of course, de Leon never found the fountain of youth. Instead, 
he was mortally wounded in a fight with the Indians. 

22. Balboa Discovers the Pacific Ocean. — Balboa was the 
Spanish governor of one of the colonies of Central America. 
In 1 5 13, while in search of a southwestern sea, he chmbed to 
the peak of a mountain in the Isthmus of Darien, the narrowest 
part of the Isthmus of Panama. To his surprise, he beheld a 
vast expanse of water. It was the Pacific Ocean. Probably 
no white man had ever seen it before. Of course, Balboa had 
no idea how wide this ocean really was. Some historians say 
that Balboa's discovery of the Pacific Ocean was almost as 
important as Columbus's discovery of America. The name 
Pacific was given to this ocean by Magellan, another navigator, 

23. Magellan — Circumnavigation of the Globe. — Ferdinand 
Magellan was a Portuguese by birth. When his native country 
refused to fit out an expedition for him, he offered his services 
to Spain. His plan was to find a passage or strait through 
America to the Indies. In 15 19 he set sail in the service of 
Spain. 

After a long voyage, Magellan reached the straits that 
now bear his name. This was in 1520. Many of the crew 
were afraid to proceed farther and urged Magellan to return 



SPANISH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 



25 



to Spain. But Magellan was a stout-hearted man, like Colum- 
bus. His answer to his men was that he would go on "if he 
had to eat the leather off the ship's yards." 

In the voyage across the Pacific Ocean the crew endured 
great hardships. They had to struggle against mutiny, 
famine, and disease. At last, on the i6th of March, the ships 
landed at one of the group of islands now called the Philippines. 
During a battle which occurred Magellan was killed, trying 
to protect his men. ]\Iany of the Spaniards were slain. The 
remainder made their escape in the ships as soon as they 
could. The Spaniards had at- 
tempted to convert the natives to 
Christianity. As they sailed away, 
they could see the natives chopping 
down the cross which had been 
set up by the Spaniards. 

The sailors now continued their 
western voyage, but w^ithout their 
brave leader. One of the vessels, 
with eighteen hungry and haggard 
men, succeeded in reaching Spain. This was the first ship that 
ever sailed around the world. To Magellan belongs the glory 
of proving that the world is really round. 

24. De Soto Discovery of the Mississippi River.— Ferdinand 
de Soto was a Spanish adventurer who had helped Pizarro to 
conquer Peru in South America. They had forced the Indian 
ruler of that land to give them large quantities of gold and 
precious stones. 

Later, w^hen de Soto heard from some Spanish explorers 
that there were greater treasures in Florida than in any other 




Mag-ellan. 



26 



DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 



part of the New World, he made up his mind that he would try 
to secure some of this vast treasure for himself. 

In 1539 de Soto landed in Florida with an army of 570 
men and 223 horses. The Indians were hostile, and he had to 
fight most of the way. Although large numbers of the red men 
were slain, de Soto also lost many of his own men. At last, 
after a weary march westward, across the southeastern part of 




De Soto Discovering- the Mississippi. 



what we now call the United States, he discovered the Missis- 
sippi River, 1541. 

De Soto was greatly disappointed at his failure to obtain 
the treasures and gold which he had started out to find. In 
1542 he died of a fever and was buried in the waters of the 



SPANISH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 2'] 

great river which he had discovered. The remaining men of 
the expedition built boats, and going down the Mississippi, 
reached the Gulf of Mexico. They finally landed at a Spanish 
settlement on the coast of Mexico. 

25. Spanish Settlements. — Most of the Spaniards who 
came to America wished to find gold or silver. As it was only 
in Mexico and South America that they had been able to find 
these precious metals, most of their colonies were established 
in those parts of the continent. They did not settle down 
c|uictly and turn their attention to agriculture. This way 
of getting rich was rather too slow for them. Frequently 
they would make raids upon Indian settlements, rob them 
of their gold and silver, and carry the Indians themselves into 
slavery. 

In 1565 Menendez, a Spanish commander, set out to 
destroy a French fleet off the coast of Florida. He made a 
settlement at St. Augustine. This was the first permanent 
settlement in this country, and is the oldest town in the 
United States. The French fleet was afterward driven on 
shore during a storm. Menendez and his men attacked the 
ship-wrecked sailors, killing nearly all of them. 

As we have learned before, one of the reasons for settling 
the new land was to convert the heathen natives to Christianity. 
West of the Mississippi River many missionary settlements 
were made by the Spaniards. Santa Fe, the second oldest 
town in the United States, was founded in 1605 by the Fran- 
ciscans, members of a monastic order. 

26. The Spanish Claim. — As a result of the Spanish dis- 
coveries and explorations, especially the original discovery by 
Columbus and the explorations of de Leon, Spain laid claim 



28 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 

to a large part of America. The region was called New 
Spain. It included nearly all of South America, Central 
America, Mexico, and all of what is now called the United 
States, except New England. Its northern limit was indefinite, 
as most of the land to the north was still unexplored wilderness. 



CHAPTER III 

ENGLISH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 

27. Voyages of the Cabots. — Although Cohimbus had made 
four voyages to the New World, which he thought was Asia, 
he had not landed on the mainland of North America. The 




Discoveries by the Cabots. 



people of Spain and of other parts of Europe were sur- 
prised at the failure of Columbus to bring back the gold 



29 



30 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 

and other treasures which they beheved were to be had in 
eastern Asia. 

John Cabot, an ItaHan navigator, was hving at that time 
in England. The King, Henry VII., gave Cabot permission to 
try to reach the land of gold and spices by means of a western 
voyage. Some merchants of Bristol raised the money for this 
purpose. 

In May, 1497, John Cabot started out with one vessel and a 
crew of eighteen to sail west as Columbus had done. He 
discovered the mainland of North America. Of course, he 
thought it was part of Asia and was disappointed at not finding 
gold and spices. On his return to England he was received 
with great honor. 

The next year John Cabot, accompanied by his son Sebas- 
tian, made another voyage to America. 
This time he sailed more to the north- 
west, hoping to reach Japan or China, 
but again, of course, he was disappointed. 
The Cabots cruised alons; the coast of 
North America from Canada as far south 
as South Carolina. Their discoveries were 
very important. 
^''^^^- 28. Sir Francis Drake.— After the voy- 

ages of the Cabots not much was done by the English for a 
number of years. In 1577 Sir Francis Drake, a famous Eng- 
lish navigator and adventurer, set out on an expedition against 
the Spanish in America. Many of Drake's actions were of a 
kind for which England should feel shame rather than pride. 
He was really little better than a pirate. 

After cruising along the Atlantic coast of South America, 




ENGLISH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 3I 

he sailed through the Strait of Magellan to the Pacific Ocean. 
He then sailed along the western coast of South America and 
secured a large amount of plunder on the coasts of Chili and 
Peru. He then sailed north as far as California, claiming this 
land for England. He named it New Albion. On his way 
home he sailed around the Cape of Good Hope, thus complet- 
ing the second circumnavigation of the globe. 

29. The Northwest Passage. — Alagellan's w^ay of reaching 
India did not become very popular. It was decidedly too long 
and dangerous. The route around Africa had been discovered 
by Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese. Portugal did not intend 
that any other nation should profit by this discovery, so she 
controlled all Asiatic trade carried on by this southeast route. 

Many navigators were now anxious to find another passage 
through the continent of America. It was thought by some 
that there might be a strait in the northern part of the conti- 
nent, by means of which a shorter route than Magellan's 
could be found. This was generally spoken of as the 
Northwest passage. 

30. Frobisher and Davis. — Toward the end of the sixteenth 
century, unsuccessful attempts were made by Frobisher and 
by Davis, two English navigators, to find the Northwest 
passage. Frobisher discovered Frobisher Bay and found out 
considerable about the Eskimos. Davis discovered the Strait 
that bears his name. 

31. Sir Walter Raleigh. — At about this time, an English 
courtier, named Sir Walter Raleigh, thought it would be a good 
plan to send some English people over to xA.merica to live there 
— in other words, he wished to plant English colonies in the 
New World. Queen Elizabeth was very fond of Raleigh. 



p 



DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 



She gave him permission to estabhsh the colonies and made 
him their Governor. 

Raleigh sent out the first expedition in 1584. The colonists 
landed on Roanoke Island, on the coast of North Carolina. 
Raleigh named the land Virginia, in honor of Elizabeth, the 
virgin queen. The colonists were disappointed at not finding 

gold. Food and provisions were scarce, 
so when Drake happened to visit the 
island, the discouraged colonists were 
very glad to get on his ship and return 
home to England. 

Another attempt was made by Ra- 
leigh to found a colony. It met a sad 
fate. No one knows what became of 
the colonists. It is supposed that all 
of them were killed by the Indians. It 
was in this colony that the first white 
child was born in America. Her name was Virginia Dare. 
She disappeared along with the rest of the colony. 

The first colonists brought back to England two valuable 
products, the potato and tobacco. The potato soon became 
an important article of food all over Europe. White people 
soon acquired the habit of using tobacco, and large quantities 
were sent to Europe. It is one of the most important exports 
of the United States to-day. 

32. The English Claim. — As a result of the discoveries of 
the Cabots and the voyages of Drake, the English claimed all 
the land in America between Labrador and Florida and from 
the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. This land was at first 
called Virginia. 




Sir Walter Raleigh. 



CHAPTER IV 
FRENCH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 



S3. Motives of the First French Explorers. — While the 
Spanish explorers had sailed to the New World principally to 
obtain gold, another motive prompted the French. They had 
heard of the excellent fisheries off the coast of Newfoundland. 
The profits to be obtained from fishing and the trade in furs 
were the main causes which first led the French to visit 
America. The first expeditions were 
undertaken by French fishermen who 
were not under orders from the King 
of France. They explored the Gulf of 
St. Lawrence. 

34. Verrazani. — In 1524 Verrazani, 
a Florentine navigator in the service 
of France, explored the coast of 
America from North Carolina to 
New England. He sailed up several 
bays and rivers in the hope that they 
might be straits leading to the Pacific, 
not, so he had to return to France, 
attempt to find a passage through America. 

35. Cartier. — In 1534 Jacques Cartier sailed to America. 
He entered the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which he named. He 
then sailed up the St. Lawrence River to where Montreal now 
stands. Cartier gave the place this name, meaning Royal 

3 33 




Verrazani. 



Of course, they were 
failed in his 



having 



34 



DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 




Cartier. 



Mountain, on account of the beautiful view obtained from the 

high hill. To this entire region he gave 
the name of New France, just as the 
Spanish had called their claim New 
Spain. 

36. Acadia. — The first permanent 
French settlement in America was 
made at Port Royal in 1604. This 
was three years before the settlement 
of Jamestown by the English. The 
region from the 40th parallel to Mon- 
treal was called Acadia by the French. Later the name was 
given only to what is now called Nova Scotia and New Bruns- 
wick. The name of Port Royal was later changed by the 
English to Annapolis, in honor of Queen 
Anne. 

37. Champlain. — One of the colonists 
who had come tq Acadia was Samuel de 
Champlain. He cruised down the Atlantic 
Coast as far as Massachusetts. Later, in 
1608, he built a fort at Quebec, which 
was used as a fur-trading post. Cham- 
plain was governor of Quebec for several 
years. He made many expeditions into the interior. In 1609, 
in company with a party of Indians, he discovered the lake 
which was named for him. 

On several occasions Champlain and his men helped the 
St. Lawrence Indians in their wars against the Iroquois, a 
powerful tribe of New York. Of course, the Frenchmen had 
guns which gave them a great advantage over the red men. 




Champlain 



FRENCH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 



35 



On account of Champlain's attacks, the Iroquois always hated 
all Frenchmen. French missionaries who attempted to con- 
vert them to Christianity were cruelly tortured. This hatred 
of the French by the Iroquois was, a good thing for the English 
colonists, for it prevented the former from moving southward 
from Canada. In all the wars between the English and the 
French colonists, the Iroquois fought on the side of the English. 




Quebec and Citadel in Early Times. 

38. The French Missionaries. — Although the fisheries and 
fur-trading led many Frenchmen to come to America, there 
were others who came for religious reasons. They wished to 
Christianize the natives. These missionaries were of the Jesuit 
order of the Roman Catholic Church. They eagerly desired to 
spread Christianity over all the world. They built rude houses 



36 



DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 




or stations in the interior of the continent and on the shores of 
the Great Lakes. Some of them suffered severely at the hands 



FRENCH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 



17 



of the Indians, but no amount of pain and misery could make 
them give up their reHgious work. 

In 1673 Marquette and Joliet sailed 
along the Wisconsin River in a birch-bark 
canoe. They reached the Mississippi, which 
the Indians called the "Father of Waters." 
Continuing on their course they went down 
this great river to the mouth of the Arkan- 
sas. There they heard such reports of the 
hostility of the Indians that they were afraid 
to go further. The upper Mississippi was explored some years 
later by another French missionary, Father Hennepin. 




La Salle. 




La Salle on the Great Lakes. 

39. La Salle takes Possession of Louisiana. — The work 



38 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 

begun by Marquette was completed by La Salle. He was 
perhaps the bravest and most persevering of all the French 
explorers. He launched the first vessel that ever sailed upon 
the Great Lakes. La Salle discovered the Ohio and Illinois 
Rivers. 

After a few years of great hardship, he finally launched 
his canoes on the Mississippi River and floated down that 
stream to its mouth. On the 9th of April, 1682, he took 
possession in the name of the King of France of the whole 
territory from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, eastward 
to the Alleghanies and westward to the Pacific Ocean. In 
honor of his monarch, Louis XIV., he gave to this region the 
name of Louisiana. 

40. The French Claim. — New France extended from 
New York to Labrador on the xA.tlantic, and embraced Acadia, 
Canada, and the region of the Great Lakes and the Mississippi 
River. It was based principally on the discoveries of Verra- 
zani, Champlain, and La Salle. 



CHAPTER V 
DUTCH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 



41. The Trade with India. — At the time of the discoveries 
and explorations in America, Holland was one of the leading 
commercial nations of Europe. Being situated right on the 
Sea, the people were naturally interested in commerce and 
ship-building. The Dutch had long been carrying on a 
profitable trade with the East Indies, reaching these lands by 
sailing around Africa. When Portugal began to grow more 
powerful, the Dutch could no longer use this route with safety, 
and they became anxious to find another way of getting to 
India. 

42. The Discoveries of Henry Hudson. — In spite of the 
numerous failures of others, the 

Dutch thought that they might be 
successful in finding a way through 
America to Asia. For this purpose 
they employed Henry Hudson, an 
English navigator who happened to 
be in Holland at the time. He be- 
lieved that there was a strait through 
the New World and he thought it was 
located somewhere north of the Ches- 
apeake Bay. 

In i6og, the Half INIoon, a strong litde ship set out from 
Holland, with Henry Hudson as commander. In the summer 

39 




Henry Hudson. 



40 



DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 



of the same year he reached the body of water which we now 
call New York Harbor. Thinking it was the strait he was 
seeking, he sailed up the bay and river as far north as the 
present city of Albany. During this trip Hudson made 
friends of the Indians, who came out in their canoes to visit 
him. As the water was no longer salt and the stream was 
getting much narrower, Hudson knew that this was not the 




The Half-Moon. 

long-sought-for strait. So he turned around and sailed back 
to Europe. 

Later, Hudson made another attempt to find a passage 
to Asia. This time he sailed in a northwest direction and 
discovered the bay which bears his name. His crew, however, 
rebelled against him and turned him adrift in an open boat. 
Nothing more was ever heard of him. He probably either 
starved or was frozen to death. 



DUTCH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 



41 



43. The Results of Hudson's Voyages.— Hudson's fcailurc 
to find the strait north of the Chesapeake made people of 
Europe give up the attempt to find a passage through that 
part of the continent. 

Another important result of Hudson's first voyage was the 
settlement of that part of America by the Dutch. Hudson 
had brought back stories of the profitable fur trade which could 




Hudson Abandoned. 

be carried on with the Indians. Many Dutch merchants now 
sent expeditions to the New World. Trading stations were 
built at what is now called New York, and up the Hudson 
river near the present site of Albany. The Dutch captains 
also explored the Atlantic coast from Delaware Bay to New 
England. 



42 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 

44. The Dutch Claim. — As a result of the voyages of 
Hudson, the Dutch laid claim to the land extending from 
Cape May to Nova Scotia and indefinitely westward. They 
called this region New Nethcrland. 

45. Conflict of Claims. — We have now studied something 
about the discoveries and explorations of the four leading 
nations of Europe — Spain, England, France, and Holland. 
If we look at the accompanying map, we can see how their 
claims conflicted. At first this conflict did not cause any 
trouble because there were so few white settlers in America.. 
Later, when the country became more thickly settled, the 
disputes as to who owned the land led to bitter quarrels and 
wars. 



CHAPTER VI 
THE AMERICAN INDIANS 

46. How the Indians Received their Name—Their Appear= 
ance. — When Columbus called the natives of the country he 
had discovered ''Indians," he thought he had reached the 
East Indies for which he had set sail. Even after it became 
known that a new continent, and not a part of India, had been 
discovered, the native inhabitants of this new continent con- 
tinued to be called Indians, and the name has clung to them 
to the present day. The colonists sometimes called the 
Indians "red men" or "red skins" because their skins were of 
a dark-red or copper color. 

The Indians were tall and well formed. Their hair was 
straight, coarse, and black. They had dark eyes, high cheek- 
bones, and very little, if any, beard. The women wore their 
hair long, but the men shaved off all but a small tuft at the top 
that was called the scalp-lock. The Indians would tear the 
scalp locks from the heads of the enemies they had killed and 
keep them as trophies of their bravery and skill as warriors. 
The Indian who had the largest collection of scalps was regarded 
as the greatest warrior. 

47. Indian Houses. — The Indians lived in rude tents called 
wigwams. A wigwam was made by covering a framework 
of poles with bark or with the skins of animals. The Indians 
could take up their wigwams cjuickly and a whole village could 
move in a day to a new place. 

43 



44 



DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 



In some cases, instead of wigwams, the Indians had houses 
made of bark placed upon a rough framework 
of poles. These houses were shaped some- 
what like a long, low barn and were called 
"long houses." Inside they were divided off 
so that twenty or thirty families could live in 
one house. They had no chimneys, but there 
were holes in the roof through which the 
smoke from their fires could find its way. 

48. How the Indians Lived. — The Indians 
depended upon hunting and fishing for most 
of their food. Before the white man came 
they used bows and arrows, heavy clubs, and 
a kind of hatchet called a 
tomahawk, made by lashing 
a sharpened flint to a strong 
handle. They soon learned 
from the white man the use of 
the rifle and the iron hatchet 
and other tools and gave him 
valuable furs in exchange for 
them. The Indians also did 
a little rude farming. They 
raised Indian corn, pump- 
kins, tobacco, and some other 
plants. 

For clothing, the Indians 
used the skin of animals. 
Their shoes, called mocca- 

Snow-shoes. sius. Were made of buckskin. Tomahawk. 






THE AMERICAN INDIANS 



45 



They were tough and strong and enabled their wearers to 
travel through the woods rapidly and noiselessly. In winter, 
they strapped broad, flat snow-shoes upon their feet so that 
they could track game without sinking in the deep snow. 

There was so much enmity among 
the various tribes that war was almost 
a regular occupation of the Indian 
men. The men also did the hunting 
and fishing. They made the women 
or "squaws" do the farming and 
other hard work. In order to have 
her hands free to work, the Indian 
woman would often carry her baby 
or "papoose" strapped to a board 
upon her back. 

The Indians decorated themselves with strings of shells 
or beads called wampum. They sometimes used wampum as 
a kind of money. They had no system of written language, but 




Indian Squaw. 




Penn's Treaty Belt of Wampum. 



they sometimes made use of a kind of picture-writing, drawing 
pictures upon pieces of bark or skin to express their ideas. 



46 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 

The Indians were filled with wonder at the ability of the white 
men to send messages by means of queer little black marks on 
paper. 

49. The Indian as Woodsman and Warrior. — Although the 
Indian could not read and write, he knew the woods like a book 
and studied the ways of animals. He could track game 
successfully or follow the trail of an enemy where the white 
man could find no signs to guide him. He built canoes of 
birch bark, light enough to be carried around dangerous ra])ids 
or from one stream to another, yet strong enough to carry him 
safely. In his canoe he could glide quietly and swiftly even 
where the lake or river was but a few inches in depth. 

Before going to battle the Indian put on war-paint to make 
himself as terrifying as possible. The Indian was a good 
fighter. Although cruel and treacherous, he was also coura- 
geous. He would ambush his enemies, fight from behind 
rocks and trees, and torture horribly those whom he took 
captive. He faced defeat bravely and would suffer torture 
with surprising fortitude. He feared that his enemies jvould 
call him a "squaw," if he cried out or showed any sign of 
suffering., 

50. Government and Religion. — The Indians lived in tribes 
governed by chiefs. The chief was always one of the strongest 
and bravest men of the tribe. The people obeyed his orders 
and he was their leader in time of war. The older men of the 
tribe formed a council. They would meet together and decide 
important matters, such as war and treaties with other tribes 
or with the white men. 

The Iroquois tribes were the most powerful in colonial 
times. They formed a union of the tribes between the Great 



THE AMERICAN INDIANS 47 

Lakes and Hudson River, which they called the Five Nations. 
The Five Nations drove other Indians from their territory and 
made neighboring tribes pay them tribute. 

The Indians worshipped a Great Spirit. They also 
believed in many evil spirits, whom they greatly feared. They 
thought that there was another life after death, where the 



Indians Attacking Settlement. 

coward would be punished, while the brave warrior would 
enter upon a joyous existence in the "Happy Hunting 
Grounds." 

51. Relations with the White Settlers. — Althoudi the 



48 



DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 



Indians were savages, they had many good quahties. They 
could keep their word and seldom warred upon the whites 
without good cause. Where the white men treated them justly, 
as in the case of the Friends or Quakers in Pennsylvania, the 
Indians lived at peace with them for many years. In other 
cases, especially in the New England colonies, there were 
fierce and bloody wars between the "red men" and the 
"pale faces." 

The French colonists got along very well with the Indians, 
with the exception of the Iroquois, whom they had offended. 
As we have learned, this exception was fortunate for the Eng- 
lish. The powerful Five Nations helped to keep the French 
from invading the territory of the English settlers. This 
aided the English greatly in keeping their foothold on the 
Atlantic coast, and in finally securing control of America. 



'"iA 




MS.. !.' it :• Vi*» 



IS^-V*!: L'~'^ :k 






&=.:« 



Old Gate, St. Augustine. 



SUMMARY 49 

SUMMARY 

DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 

KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD BEFORE THE DISCOVERY OF 

AMERICA 

About four hundred years ago, the world was believed to be flat and 
the existence of America was not known. 

Several nations of Europe had been carrying on a profitable trade with 
eastern Asia. They reached India by sailing east on the Mediterranean 
Sea and then overland through Asia. When the Turks conquered Con- 
stantinople, this trade with India was almost entirely cut off. 

The commercial nations of Europe now became anxious to find new 
routes to India. The Portuguese attempted to reach India by sailing 
around Africa. In 1487 Bartholomew Dias discovered the Cape of 
Good Hope, and in 1497 Vasco da Qama succeeded in reaching India 
by sailing around Africa and across the Indian Ocean. 

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa, Italy, was a daring navi- 
gator, and one of the greatest geographers of his time. He believed that 
the earth was round, and that India could be reached by sailing west. 
Columbus tried for many years to secure ships with which to make this 
western voyage. At last King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain 
fitted out three ships for him. Columbus was made admiral of the fleet. 

The fleet left Palos, Spain, August 3, 1492. In spite of the entreaties 
and the threats of the frightened sailors, Columbus firmly refused to 
change his western course. On the morning of October 12, 1492, land 
was seen. Columbus thought this land was India. It was really one of 
the Bahama Islands. He landed, and took possession of the country in 
the name of the King of Spain. 

On his return to Spain, Columlnis was received with great honor. 
He made three other voyages to the New World; in one of them, 1498, 
he touched the mainland of South America. 
4 



50 DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 

As gold and other treasures were not brought back by Columbus, his 
voyages were regarded as failures. He was neglected and despised. In 
1506 he died, a poor and miserable old man. He never knew that he 
had discovered a new continent, but died In the belief that he had 
found a western route to India. 

SPANISH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 

The new continent was named America, for an Italian navigator, 
Americus Vespucius. He had made several voyages to the New World, 
and published a book about his discoveries. In 1507 the name America 
first appeared on a map of the New World. 

After Columbus had shown the way, many expeditions were sent to 
the New World. These expeditions were undertaken for one or more of 
the following reasons: (i) To seek adventures; (2) to find treasures; (3) to 
carry on trade; (4) to claim land for the mother country; (5) to convert 
the Indians; (6) to find a passage through the New World to India; (7) 
to plant colonies. 

In 1513 Ponce de Leon, in search for the " Fountain of Youth," 
discovered and named Florida. 

In the same year Balboa climbed a mountain peak on the Isthmus 
of Panama, and discovered the Pacific Ocean. 

Ferdinand Magellan set sail in search of a passage through Amer- 
ica to India. In 1520 he sailed through the straits which bear his name, 
into the Pacific Ocean. He continued his voyage across the Pacific to 
the Philippine Islands, where he was killed in a battle with the natives. 
One of the vessels succeeded in reaching Sj)ain. This was the first 
circumnavigation of the world. 

In 1 541 de Soto, while on an expedition in search of treasure, dis- 
covered the Mississippi River. 

The first permanent settlement in this country was made by the 
Spanish, under Menendez, at St. Augustine in 1565. 

Santa Fe, the second oldest town in the United States, was founded 
l)y Spanish missionaries in 1605. 

The Spanish claim (see par. 26). 



SUMMARY 51 



ENGLISH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 

In 1497 John Cabot, an Italian navigator, sailed from England to 
the New World. He discovered the mainland of North America. In the 
next year, he and his son Sebasdan explored the coast from Canada to 
South Carolina. 

In 1577 Sir Francis Drake commanded a piratical expedidon 
against the Spanish in America. He sailed up the Pacific coast as far 
as California, which he claimed for England. 

Sir Walter Raleigh made two attempts to found colonies in Amer- 
ica. They were both failures. The colonists introduced the potato and 
tobacco into England. 

The English claim (see par. 32). 

FRENCH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 

Frenchmen first made voyages to the New World on account of the 
fisheries and fur trade. 

In 1524 Verrazani, in search of a northwest passage, explored the 
coast from North Carolina to New England. 

In 1534 Cartier sailed up the St. Lawrence River as far as Montreal. 
He named the entire region New France. 

In 1604 the first permanent French setdement in America was made 
at Port Royal. 

In 1608 Champlain founded Quebec. The next year he discovered 
Lake Champlain. He made bitter enemies of the Iroquois Indians. Later, 
this powerful tribe sided with the English against the French. 

Marquette, Joliet, and Hennepin explored the Great Lakes and 
the Mississippi Valley. They established many trading posts and mis- 
sions. 

La Salle discovered the Ohio and Illinois Rivers, and canoed down 
the Mississippi to its mouth. In 1583 he took possession of Louisiana 
in the name of the King of France. 

The French claim (see par. 39). 



52 



DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION 



DUTCH DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS 

Henry Hudson, an English navigator, was emi)loyed by the Dutch 
to seek a passage through America to India. 

In 1609 he sailed in the Half Moon to New York Bay and up the 
Hudson River. He later discovered Hudson Bay. 

As a result of Hudson's discoveries, stations to carry on the fur trade 
with the Indians were established by the Dutch. 

The Dutch claim (see par. 45). 



PART II 
ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 



NTRODUCTION 



52. The Planting of Colonies. — Even while the discoveries 
and explorations of America were being made, several of the 
nations of Europe attempted to plant colonies in the New World, 
that is, they sent out companies of men and women to make 
settlements and to build homes for themselves in the newly 
discovered countries. Spain, England, France, and Holland 
were the leading nations in this work of colonization. 

If this book were a history of America, it would be necessary 
to describe a great many of these colonies, particularly the 
Spanish and Portuguese settlements of South America. But 
as it is simply a history of the United States, only the settle- 
mcnits in that part of America are of interest to us. As the 
English finally got possession of nearly the whole region 
now called the United States, it is the history of these English 
colonies which we must study most thoroughly. 

53. The London and Plymouth Companies.^We have 
learned that the English claim had been called Virginia, 
in honor of Elizabeth, the virgin Cjueen. It extended from 
Florida to Canada and westward to the Pacific Ocean. People 

53 



54 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 



of those days had no idea of how wide America really was. 
Henry Hudson and others had sailed up several eastern rivers 
in the hope of reaching the Pacific Ocean. 

In 1606, King James I., of England, chartered two com- 
panies, giving them the right to plant colonies within the 
English claim. The London Company was to have control 
of the land between 34° and 38° north latitude, that is, from 




Cape Fear to the Potomac river. This tract was called 
South Virginia. 

The other company, known as the Plymouth Company, 
was to control the land between 41° and 45°, that is, from 
Long Island to Canada. This was called North Virginia. 
The land lying between North and South Virginia could be 
colonized by either company. 



CHAPTER VII 
THE SOUTHERN COLONIES 

I I. VIRGINIA 

54. The Settlement of Jamestown. — In 1606, the year after 
it received its charter, the London Company sent out three 
ships to America. On board these ships were nearly 150 
colonists, but there were no women among them. The party 
was composed mostly of "gentlemen," that is, men not used 
to work. There were no farmers among these colonists. 
They had gone to America, not to work, but to get rich 
(juickly. With such a poor company of men there could be 
but little hope of a successful colony in a wilderness. 

Captain Newport, the commander of the fleet, had been 
ordered to land at Roanoke Island, but a storm drove the 
ships northward. They finally reached Chesapeake Bay. 
After cruising about for a few weeks and exploring the coast, 
they at last landed on a peninsula, May 13, 1607. They named 
their settlement Jamestown, in honor of King James. 

55. John Smith. — One of the men who had sailed with this 
expedition was John Smith. Nearly his whole life he had 
been a daring adventurer. He had shown great bravery in 
the many wars in which he had fought. On one occasion, 
when the Christians and INIohammedans were at war, he had 
been chosen to engage in single combat against a Turkish 
warrior. In the presence of the entire army he had defeated 

55 



56 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 



the Turk and beheaded him. Later he was taken prisoner by 
a Turkish general and kept as a slave. He escaped by beating 
out his master's brains with a club. He fled in disguise, 
travelled through Europe and Africa, and at last, after many 
adventures, reached his native land, England. 

When Smith heard of the expedition starting for America, 

it is not surprising 
that he was anxious 
to join the crew. In 
the course of the 
voyage he was guilty 
of some offense, per- 
haps mutiny, and 
when they landed in 
Virginia he was a 
prisoner in chains. 
He was soon re- 
leased, however, and 
it was well for the 
colony that he was. 
Without John Smith 
the colony would 
probably have been 
as bad a failure as 
Raleigh's. 

56. What Smith did for the Colony.— The Virginia Com- 
pany in England who had sent out the colony were anxious 
that a passage to the Pacific should be discovered. So Smith 
spent much of his time in cruising along the Chesapeake Bay 
and sailing up the rivers of that region in search of such a 




Captain John Smith (Old Print). 



THE SOUTHERN COLONIES 



57 



passage. Although these attempts were unsuccessful, Smith 
learned a good deal about the country and had many exciting 
adventures. 

On one occasion Smith was taken prisoner by the Indians 
and was saved from death, it is said, by the pleading of Poca- 
hontas, the daughter of the Chief, Powhatan. Smith seemed 
to know how to deal with the Indians, and he often obtained 
food for the settlers from the savage red men. 







^^'■-^^^} 



Smith Barg-aining'. 



57. How Smith made the Colonists Work. — The "s:entle- 
men" who had settled Jamestown were not used to work. 
They had come to x^merica to make their fortunes, not to 
engage in hard labor. It happened one day that one of the 
settlers found a piece of yellow material which looked like gold. 
It was really a kind of iron ore. In spite of Smith's advice, 



58 ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 

they all got to work digging and at last had a whole shipload 
of the worthless stuff. Smith allowed it to be sent to England. 
He was anxious to get rid of the ship anyhow, as it was little 
less than a lloating tavern. 

Smith at last succeeded in forcing the lazy settlers to work 
by making the rule that if they did not work, they should 
receive nothing to eat. Rather than go hungry, even these 
gentlemen decided that they would soil their hands with labor. 

At first the settlers had considerable trouble with the 
Indians, but Smith gradually won the friendship of the savages, 
especially of the powerful chief, Powhatan. The Indians 
looked upon Captain Smith as a kind of magician or god. 

The settlers now began to build themselves better houses, 
and the colony seemed to be prospering. Unfortunately, 
something now happened which put an end to the prosperity 
for a time. In i6og they lost their leader, Captain Smith. 
He was badly injured by an explosion of gunpowder, and left 
Virginia, never to return. 

58. Sufferings of the Colonists. — When Smith left the 
colony, there was no one able to take his place properly. When 
the Indians found out that Smith had returned to England, 
they began to attack the settlers. They could no longer 
procure food from the red men. Matters went from bad to 
worse. The winter of 1609-10 is often called the "starving 
time." 

Although new colonists, women as well as men, had come 
over, by the spring of 1610 nine-tenths of the people had died. 
The remaining fifty or sixty colonists were now utterly hope- 
less, so they decided to desert the settlement and return to 
England. 



THE SOUTHERN COLONIES 



59 



59. The Arrival of Lord Delaware. — The colonists had 
actually set sail when they were met by a fleet of ships com- 
manded by Lord Delaware. He had been sent out by the 
Virginia Company as Governor of the Colony. He persuaded 
the discouraged settlers to return to Jamestown. As Delaware's 




Indians Attacking- Colonists in Virginia. 

fleet had plenty of supplies on board, they willingly returned 
and the settlement was saved. 

60. Governor Dale. — Lord Delaware did not stay in 
Virginia long. He was succeeded by Governor Dale, a very 
strict man. xAilthough Dale's rule was so severe that some 



6o ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 

would call him cruel, there is no doubt that the lazy and 
worthless settlers needed a firm hand. 

The best thing that Dale did for the colony was to give to 
each man a piece of land where he could work for himself. 
A man will work harder if he knows he can have the results 
of his own labor. Before this change, there had been "com- 
munism" in the colony. This meant that the settlers, instead 
of working, each man for himself, worked for all. So long as 
the lazy men got their share they were perfectly willing that 
the industrious ones should work all the harder. 

61. The Raising of Tobacco.— After the introduction of 
tobacco into England by Sir Walter Raleigh, the people of 
Europe learned to enjoy smoking. Although King James 
said that the use of tobacco was dangerous and disgusting, the 
people went on smoking just the same. There was soon a 
great demand for tobacco. 

In 1612 the tobacco plant began to be systematically 
grown in Virginia, and soon this crop was the principal export 
of the new colony. Many shiploads of tobacco were taken 
from the plantations along the James River and sent to England. 

This trade was an excellent thing for the young colony. 
It made Virginia prosperous and led to a much better class of 
settlers coming over from England. Instead of the lazy and 
criminal people who had formed the largest part of the colony 
at first, there now emigrated to Virginia men of some means 
and also many farmers. These men knew how to take care 
of the land and the large profits from the raising of tobacco 
led to a rapid increase in the extent of cultivated land. 

62. Introduction of Slavery. — There was, however, one bad 
result of the tobacco industry, and that was the introduction of 



THE SOUTHERN COLONIES 



6l 



slavery. In August, 1619, a Dutch ship sailed up the James 
River, containing a number of African negroes. Twenty of 
them were sold to the colonists as slaves. They were found 
to be very useful on the tobacco plantations and later many 



more slaves were bought. 




Beg-inning of Slavery. 



The system of slavery thus started in Virginia soon spread 
to the other colonies. In the south, the slaves were used in 
agriculture and they rapidly increased in numbers. Fifty 
years after the landing of the first negroes there were 2000 
slaves in the colonv of Virginia. 



62 ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 

63. The Government of Virginia. — Up to 1619 the colonists 
had Httle or nothing to say about their own government. They 
were obHged to obey the governors who were sent over from 
England by the London Company. Often these governors 
were severe and unjust. They did all they could to increase the 
profits of the Company which had sent them over, and they 
did not care much whether the colonists liked their actions 
or not. 

In 1 619, the people of Virginia (there were about 4000 of 
them at that time) appealed to the London Company to allow 
them to have a voice in their government. The Company 
agreed to their demands. Governor Yeardley was sent over 
and he at once ordered each borough or plantation to elect two 
representatives. These representatives were to have some- 
thing to say in regard to making laws for the colony. They 
were called the House of Burgesses. Together with the 
Governor and Council appointed by the Company, they formed 
the law-making body or Assembly. This was the first elective 
assembly ever held in America. It was the first great step 
toward our present Republican form of government. It met 
in Jamestown July 30, i6ig. 

In 1624, the King of England took Virginia away from the 
London Company. From that time until the Revolution 
Virginia was a Royal Colony; that is, the Governor and 
Council were chosen by the King. The people, however, still 
elected their House of Burgesses. 

64. Troubles with the Indians. — So long as Powhatan 
lived, the colonists and the Indians got on fairly well together. 
The friendship of this great Chief was one of the principal 
things which Smith had accomplished for the colony. In 1618, 



THE SOUTHERN COLONIES 63 

Powhatan died and his brother, Opechankans, became chief 
of the tribe. Although the new Indian chief said he was 
friendly to the white settlers, he really hated them. 

The Indians were jealous of the colonists. They thought 
that their land was being taken away from them and that 
they were not getting a just return for it. So they waited their 
chance for revenge. On the morning of March 22, 1622, a 
terrible massacre began. Men, women, and children were 
cruelly butchered by the Indians, who swooped down suddenly 
upon the plantations. Jamestown and the surrounding region 
were saved from destruction because an Indian had warned 
them of the intended massacre. 

After this first outbreak the Indians continued to attack the 
colonists, who in turn killed many of the red men. Nearly 
half of the settlers were killed before the war came to an end. 
John Smith, then living in London, wanted to take troops over 
to help the colonists. But the King would not grant his 
request and the settlers had to do their, fighting as best they 
could. 

Another Indian massacre occurred in 1644. The treacher- 
ous Indians again surprised the white settlers and killed about 
500 of them. The savages were finally driven back from the 
more settled parts of the colony. 

65. Bacon's Rebellion. — One of the worst Governors ever 
sent to Virginia was the tyrant Berkeley. He would allow no 
printing-press nor school in the colony. He thought the people 
could be ruled more easily and revolutions prevented if they 
were kept ignorant. 

In 1676 the Indians again went upon the wnr-path. They 
now attacked the settlers along the frontiers. On beins: asked 



64 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 



to send aid, Governor Berkeley refused. He knew that the 
people hated him and he was afraid that the troops might turn 
against him. 

One of the plantation owners was a young lawyer named 
Nathaniel Bacon. When his own land was attacked, he 
raised a force himself and defeated the Indians. Governor 




Bacon Arrested. 



Berkeley became terribly angry when he heard of Bacon's 
independent action. He called Bacon a traitor and his men 
rebels. The "rebels" then marched upon Jamestown and 
burnt it to the ground. It was never rebuilt. 

Shortly afterward, Bacon died, and his men, having no 
leader, dispersed. Berkeley had more than twenty of the 
"rebels" hanged. When King Charles II. heard of this he 



THE SOUTHERN COLONIES 



65 



ordered Berkeley to return at once to England and repri- 
manded him severely. With other and better governors, 




Burning' of Jamestown. 



the colony now prospered, and the people grew in wealth 
and happiness. 



66 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 



§ 2. MARYLAND 

66. Persecution of the Catholics. — We shall learn how the 
bitter persecutions of the Puritans in England caused them to 
leave their native land and emigrate to America. But the 
Puritans were not the only religious sect badly treated in 
Ensfland. The Roman Catholics were also made to suffer. 
If they did not attend the Protestant Church of England, they 
were liable to a fine of twenty pounds a month. They were 
not allowed to have Catholic books or Catholic teachers. It 
is no wonder that many of them wished to leave a country 
v^here they were so bitterly persecuted. 

67. Lord Baltimore. — One of the most prominent Catholics 

living in England at this time was 
a nobleman named Lord Balti- 
more. He was deeply grieved at 
the treatment that people of his 
religion received. He decided to 
make a settlement in the New 
World for Catholics, just as the 
Puritans had done for people of 
their religion. 

First he tried to plant a col- 
ony in Newfoundland, but he was 
forced to give it up on account of the cold climate. Then he 
went to Jamestown, but the settlers there had no more love 
for Catholics than the people of England had. So Baltimore 
cruised up Chesapeake Bay and explored the region north of 
the Potomac. The climate was delightful and the country 
pleased him. He made up his mind that this would be a good 
place for his settlement. 




Lord Baltimore. 



THE SOUTHERN COLONIES 



67 



68. The Maryland Grant. — Virginia had lost its chartcr 
and had become a royal colony in 1624. The land now, instead 
of belonging to the London Company, belonged to the King. 
When Baltimore asked Charles I. for the territory north of the 
Potomac, it was granted to him without delay, as the King 
and Baltimore were good friends. 

The grant extended from the 
Potomac River northward to the 
40th parallel, and from the Atlan- 
tic to the Pacific Ocean. It, 
therefore, included a piece of 
Pennsylvania and all of the 
present state of 
Delaware. At ■^■^■^^Jh.A 

the same time 
a charter was 
given to Balti- 
more which 
gave him almost f 
kingly power 
over the colony. 
All he was re- 
quired to do 
was to send 

every year to the King of England two Indian arrow-heads 
and one-fifth of all the gold and silver mined. He was to 
be called the Lord Proprietary of the colony. One power 
that he did not have was the right to tax the people without 
their consent. Of course, no laws could be passed contrary 
to the laws of England. 




St. Mary's Settlement. 



68 ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 

69. The Beginning of Maryland. — Lord Baltimore died 
before the charter was rxiade out, so it was made in the name 
of his son, Cecihus Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore. In 
the spring of 1634 a colony of about three hundred was brought 
over from England. One of them was a Catholic priest named 
Father White. He conducted Catholic services in the wigwam 
of an Indian chief. This was the first p]nglish Catholic Church 
in America. 

The colony made a settlement on the northern bank of the 
Potomac near its mouth. They called it St. Mary's, in honor 
of Henrietta-Marie, the Catholic Queen of England. 

70. Religious Freedom. — Although Maryland had been 
secured by Lord Baltimore to found a home for the persecuted 
Catholics, he had much broader views than the Puritans. 
Instead of allowing only Catholics to come to the new colony, 
Protestants also were invited. Of the first three hundred 
settlers, it is probable that the majority were not Catholics. 

Baltimore would permit only Christians in Maryland, how- 
ever. In this he was not so broad minded as Roger Williams, 
who said that people had the right to think as they pleased 
about religious matters, whether they were Christians, Jews, 
Mohammedans, or even, unbelievers. Although Maryland 
did not go so far toward religious freedom as Rhode Island, 
it was far ahead of the other colonies founded up to that 
time, and also much more liberal than most of the nations of 
Europe. 

71. Growth of the Colony. — From the very beginning of the 
colony, there was no trouble with the Indians. The tribes 
who had lived in that region were deserting it, as they feared 
that a more powerful tribe was going to attack them. They 



THE SOUTHERN COLONIES 69 

willingly sold the land to the settlers, and also taught them how 
to plant com. 

Not only did the people enjoy religious freedom, but political 
freedom as well. The prosperity of the colony was largely 
due to the wise and liberal policies of Baltimore and his suc- 
cessors. The people were allowed to help make the laws for 
the colony, and in this way learned to govern themselves. 

Crops of tobacco and grain were successfully raised. A 
profitable commerce began to grow up, and towns and cities 
were established. In 1649 some Puritans from Massachusetts 
settled the town of Providence. Its name was afterward 
changed to Annapolis, in honor of Queen Anne, and it became 
the capital of the colony. Baltimore, named in honor of Lord 
Baltimore, was founded in 1729. 

72. Clayborne's Rebellion— Persecution of the Catholics. — 
Although Maryland had scarcely any trouble with the Indians, 
there were many disturbances among the colonists themselves. 
Before the Maryland charter was granted, a Virginia settler 
named William Clayborne had established a profitable trad- 
ing station on Kent Island in Chesapeake Bay. Maryland 
claimed that this island belonged to her, but Clayborne would 
not give it up until he was driven out by Lord Baltimore's men. 

In 1645, while the Puritans of England were rebelling against 
King Charles I., Clayborne stirred up the people of Maryland 
to overthrow Baltimore's government. They got possession 
of St. Mary's and forced Father White, a Catholic clergyman, 
to return to England as a prisoner. Then the right to vote 
or hold office was taken away from the Catholics and no 
Catholic worship was permitted in the colony. Lord Balti- 
more was also deprived of the proprietorship. 



70 ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 

In 1658 Lord Baltimore was restored to his rights and 
freedom of rehgion was again established. Later, the Church 
of England was made the established Church of Maryland and 
all the colonists were taxed to support it. From that time until 
the Revolution, Catholic worship was not allowed in the colony. 

73. Mason and Dixon's Line. — The grants of land in America 
were not made carefully when the colonies were being founded. 
It is no wonder, therefore, that there were disputes about 
boundaries. Pennsylvania had been granted to Penn, and 
there was considerable doubt as to just how far south the 
colony extended. 

To settle the trouble, two surveyors were chosen to establish 
a boundary line which would be satisfactory to both the 
colonies. Their names were Charles Mason and Jeremiah 
Dixon. They worked at this survey from 1763 to 1767. 
Every five miles they placed a stone with William Penn's 
Coat of Arms on the north side and Lord Baltimore's on the 
south side. 

The line the surveyors marked out is the present boundary 
line of the States of Pennsylvania and Maryland. It is the 
famous Mason and Dixon's line, which up to the Civil War 
was regarded as dividing the free from the slave States. 

§ 3. THE CAROLINAS 

74. Failure of the Early Settlements. — Long before Virginia 
was settled, attempts had been made by the French, by the 
English, and by the Spanish to found colonies in the territory 
south of Virginia. The Spanish succeeded in establishing 
a permanent settlement at St. Augustine, but all the early 
attempts of the French and the English failed. For many 



THE SOUTHERN COLONIES 7 1 

years the large tract of land between Virginia and the Spanish 
settlements in Florida was. not inhabited by white men. It 
was a great hunting-ground for Indian tribes. 

75. Land Given to English Proprietors. — King Charles II. 
of Endand wished to reward some of his friends. The easiest 
way to do this was to give to them some of the vast wilderness 
in x\mcrica that he claimed as his own. In 1663 he granted to 
a group of eight noblemen a great tract south of Virginia. 
Two years later the parallels of 30° and 36° 30' north latitude 
were fixed as the boundaries of this territory. It reached nearly 
to St. Augustine and included part of the land claimed by the 
Spaniards. Its eastern and western boundaries were the 
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. 

King Charles did not have a very good idea of the size of 
the land he was giving away. He knew even less about its 
great value. The French, about a hundred years before this, 
had named the land Carolina, in honor of King Charles IX. 
of France. As the King of England was also named Charles, 
the English proprietors retained this name in his honor. 

76. Permanent Settlements. — Some emigrants from Virginia 
had settled near Albemarle Sound a few years before the king 
gave this territory to his friends. The proprietors wanted 
settlers for their land, so they were glad to have these early 
comers remain. Albemarle, 1653, was thus the first permanent 
settlement of wdiat afterward was known as North Carolina. 

In 1670 the proprietors, who had formed a company, 
sent several shiploads of colonists over from England. They 
named the place they settled Charles Towne, afterward called 
Charleston. This was the first permanent settlement in South 
Carolina. 



72 ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 

77. The "Grand Model." — When the King made this 
great grant of land, he also gave the proprietors full power 
to rule it. Unlike Lord Baltimore and William Penn, they 
did not use this power wisely. They had a constitution, or set 
of laws, called the "Grand INlodel," drawn up for the colony. 
According to this plan the rich were to be given titles of nobility, 
while the poor people were to be treated almost like slaves. 

"Grand Muddle" would have been a better name for this 
foolish plan. The colonists either angrily refused to obey 
it or went quietly about their business of making homes in 
the wilderness without paying any attention to it. At last 
the proprietors gave up the attempt to govern the people 
according to the Grand Model. It is said that John Locke, 
the great English philosopher, was the author of the plan, but 
it is hard to believe so wise a man could have made so bad 
a blunder. 

78. Growth of the Colonies. — For many years the Carolinas 
grew very slowly. They had a mixed population of French 
Huguenots, Friends, Scotch, Irish, and Swiss. They got 
along pretty well together and enjoyed religious freedom. 
The people engaged in farming. Slavery was introduced 
and spread rapidly. In North Carolina tobacco was raised, 
and lumber, tar, pitch, and turpentine were obtained from 
the pine forests. 

The real prosperity of the colonies, especially that of 
South Carolina, began after it was discovered that rice and 
indigo could be grown there with profit. Large crops of these 
valuable staples were raised, and an extensive commerce grew 
up. Charleston soon became the most important city of- the 
South. 



THE SOUTHERN COLONIES 73 

79. North and South Carolina Formed. — J'hc proprietors 
did not \)\-dn to have separate colonies, but the settlements 
of northern and southern Carolina were far apart and some- 
times each had a Governor of its own. The proprietors found 
that they were not making as much money as they had expected 
from these colonies. Their plan of government also was 
unpopular and unsuccessful. In 1729 they sold their rights 
to the King. Carolina was then divided into two distinct 
royal provinces. 

§4. GEORGIA 

80. Spanish Jealousy of English Colonies.— Although the 
Spaniards had not extended their colony beyond St. Augustine, 
they strongly objected to the English settling upon the land 
which they claimed. The Spaniards of Florida were not 
strong enough to fight the English colonies in Carolina, so 
they stirred up the Indians to make war against the English. 
The English colonists lost heavily by this warfare, but suc- 
ceeded in holding the Indians in check. 

81. James Oglethorpe's Plan. — James Olgethorpe, an 
English soldier and a gentleman of fine character, thought 
it would be a good plan to found an English colony between 
South Carolina and Florida. He thought in this manner to 
prevent the Spanish getting a foothold on this land, and to 
protect the English colonies against both the Spanish and 
the Indians. 

Oglethorpe had another end in view in founding this colony. 
In those days people who could not pay their debts were 
thrown into prison. The debtors' prisons were barbarous 
places where thousands of poor persons were unjustly or even 



74 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 




Oglethorpe. 



brutally treated. Oglethorpe wanted to release as many as 
possible of these prisoners, and give them a chance to start 
life over again in the New World. 

82. Oglethorpe Secures a Grant of Land. — Oglethorpe was 
a member of the English Parliament, and 
a man of influence in his country. He 
interested many people in his ideas, and 
formed an association which finally per- 
suaded King George II. to grant them a 
tract of land "in trust for the poor," 
where they might establish a colony in 
America. 

The grant of land was made in 1732. 
It extended between the Savannah and 
the Altamaha rivers, and was given the name of Georgia 
in honor of the King. The trustees were given full power 
to rule the colony. 

83. The Settlement of Savannah. — Parliament sjave monev 
to carry out Oglethorpe's plans, and he secured contributions 
from many private individuals. An expedition was organized 
in 1732, and Oglethrope himself came to America with the 
colonists. In 1733 they founded Savannah on the Savannah 
river. The poor and oppressed of other lands were welcomed 
to the colony, and soon many Germans and Scotchmen made 
settlements in Georgia. 

84. Growth of the Colony. — At first the colony grew very 
slowly. There was some trouble with the Spaniards, but 
Oglethorpe was a good soldier and fought them so successfully 
that they never dared thereafter to invade English territory. 

The people of Georgia were not allowed to make their 



THE SOUTHERN COLONIES 75 

own laws, but were under the rule of the "Trustees." Ogle- 
thorpe was a good Governor, but after he returned to England 
the people became more and more dissatisfied with the regu- 
lations of the Trustees. In 1752 the Trustees surrendered 
their charter to the King, and Georgia became a royal province. 
After this the colony grew more rapidly. Rice and indigo 
were raised in large quantities on the j^lantations. The 
people also engaged in lumbering, and an important com- 
merce, especially with the West Indies, sprang up. 

§5. LIFE IN THE SOUTHERN COLONIES 

85. Character of the People. — The people who settled the 
southern colonies were very different in character from the 
Puritans who settled New England. The southern colonists 
came to America in search of gold or other riches. Some 
were men of roving disposition, looking for exciting adven- 
tures. Many of them were ''gentlemen" with aristocratic 
ideas and not used to work of any kind. 

The southern colonists were not, as a rule, so deeply re- 
ligious as the Puritans. Although people were persecuted in 
the south on account of their religious beliefs, there was more 
religious freedom there than among the strict New Englanders. 
In Maryland almost complete religious freedom was per- 
mitted, and this colony became an asylum for oppressed 
people. 

86. Plantation Life. — The first settlers had no thought 
of farming, but they were obliged to turn to it later. The 
discovery of the value of tobacco in Virginia, and of rice and 
indigo in the Carolinas and Georgia, led to the cultivation of 
large plantations. Here the rich land-owner lived like an 



76 ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 

English country gentleman on a large estate. Slavery increased 
rapidly, because the negroes were very useful as laborers on 
the plantations. The poor white man was obliged to labor 
upon the plantations, as there were few small farms which he 
could own for himself. Negro slavery made all labor seem 
degrading, and the white laborer was looked upon as little 
better than a slave. 

87. Education in the Southern Colonies. — The plantations 
were scattered great distances apart. There were no large 
cities and but few towns. There were no free schools and but 
few schools of any kind. The rich planters either employed 
tutors for their children or sent them to England to be edu- 
cated; of course, the poor people could not afford this. Almost 
all the negroes and many of the poor whites grew up without 
learning even to read and write. 

A college called William and Mary College, however, 
was founded in Virginia. It was the second college to be 
established in the colonies, and is an important seat of learn- 
ing to-day. 



SUMMARY 



77 



SUMMARY 
THE SOUTHERN COLONIES 

In 1606, King James I. chartered the London and the Plymouth 

companies. The London Company controlled South Virginia, and the 
Plymouth Company controlled North Virginia. 

Virginia. — Jamestown was settled May 13, 1607. The colony was 
composed largely of "gentlemen" not used to work. John Smith's 
bravery and good management saved the colony from failure. He made 
the colonists work and gained the friendship of the Indians. 

The colonists endured great hardships. Lord Delaware Ijrought ship- 
loads of supplies, and saved the colony just as it was about to be abandoned. 

Governor Dale gave to each man a piece of land, where he could work 
for himself and enjoy the fruits of his own labor. The raising of tobacco 
became a profitable industry, and made the colony prosperous. 

In 1619, slavery was introduced, and it spread rapidly. In the same 
year the people of \lrginia were given the right to elect representatives to 
make laws for them. The House of Burgesses was the first elective 
assembly ever held in America. In 1624, Virginia became a royal province. 

After the death of Powhatan, there were several Indian wars. Finally, 
the red men were driven back from the settlements. 

Maryland. — Lord Baltimore founded Maryland as a place of refuge 
for persecuted Catholics. In 1634, a settlement was made at St. 
Mary's on the Potomac River. In 1649, Providence (later called An= 
napolis) was founded by Puritans. The city of Baltimore was founded 
in 1729. 

Christians of all denominations were allowed to live in ^Maryland. 
The Indians were friendly and taught the colonists how to plant corn. 
Crops of tobacco were also successfully raised. 

There were many religious troubles, and in the later history of the 
colony Catholic worship was not allowed. 

Mason and Dixon surveyed and established the boundary line between 
Maryland and Pennsylvania in 1767. 



78 ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 

The descendants of Lord Baltimore ruled the colony as proprietors 
up to the time of the Revolution. 

The Carolinas. — In 1663, King Charles II. granted to a group of 
English noblemen a tract of land named Carolina. The first permanent 
settlement had been made by emigrants from Virginia at Albemarle in 
1653. The first permanent settlement in South Carohna was made at 
Charleston in 1670. 

The colonies had a mixed population and enjoyed religious freedom. 
Their prosperity was largely due to the raising of rice and indigo. 

The proprietors at first attempted to rule the colony according to a plan 
known as the Grand Model. This was not successful. The proprietors 
then sold their rights to the King, 1729. The colony was divided into 
North and South Carolina, which were ruled as royal provinces. 

Georgia. — In 1 732, James Oglethorpe secured from King George II. 
a grant of land between South Carolina and Florida. He wished to prevent 
the Spaniards from gaining a foothold in this region. He also wished to 
establish a refuge for the ill-used debtors of England and for the oppressed 
of other countries. 

Savannah was founded in 1733. The raising of rice and indigo 
and lumbering became important industries. 

The rule of the Trustees was unsatisfactory, and in 1752 Georgia 
became a royal province. 



CHAPTER VIII 
THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIES 

§ I. MASSACHUSETTS 

88. The Pilgrims. — Although Captain John Smith had 
explored the coast of New England and had drawn a map 
of it, no permanent settlement was made there until 1620. 
It was settled in that year by people who were perse- 
cuted and treated cruelly for not following the religious 
ceremonies of the established Church of England. When 
they were no longer able to stand these persecutions, a 
number of them decided to leave England. 

First they went to Holland, where they were permitted to 
hold their religious services without interference. After living 
in that country for a while they began to fear that their 
children would grow up speaking the Dutch language instead 
of English, and would also learn the ways of the Hollanders. 
Although they had been treated so badly in England, still 
they loved their native land, especially its language and its 
customs. They decided, therefore, to seek refuge in the New 
World — America. 

In 1620, these Pilgrims, as they were called on account 
of their wanderings, sailed from Holland to England and ob- 
tained permission from the King to make a settlement in 
America. Some English merchants loaned them the money 
needed to fit out the expedition. 

89. The Mayflower.— On September 16, 1620, the ]\Iay- 

79 



8o 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 




flower, with its little crew of 102 men, women, and children, set 

sail for America. They 
had not gone on this 
dangerous expedition 
for the sake of gain- 
ing riches, as the Vir- 
ofinia settlers had done. 
Freedom to w-orship 
God according to their 
own conscience w^as the 
only reason which led 
'^'■^^ - ' these men and women 

Mayflower. ^^ gj^.^ ^p ^YiqIy OWn 

homes and risk the dangers of life in the wilderness. 

After a stormy trip, the Mayflower reached Cape Cod late 
in November. Just 
before landing, some 
of the leading Pil- 
grims had made an 
agreement or "com- 
pact" in regard to 
the government of 
the colony. They 
decided that they 
would choose their 
own governors and <■- 

make their own laws. 

90. The Settle= compact on Mayflower. 

ment of Plymouth. — After cruising about for a while and ex- 
ploring the coast, a settlement w^as made at a place wdiich 




THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIES 



8l 



Captain Smith had named Plymouth on his map of the region. 
The landing was made December 21, 1620, on a large rock- 
Plymouth Rock, as it is called, is one of the greatest historic 
places in New England to-day. Countless visitors have gazed 
with interest at the granite boulder where the brave Pilgrims 
are supposed to have landed. 




:-,^5?^-:: 



Landing of the Pilgrims. 



91. Sufferings of the Settlers. — The Pilgrims were spared 
one danger which they had greatly feared. There were at 
first no Indians in the region to molest them. A terrible sick- 
ness or plague had killed many of the Indians, and so the 
Pilgrims found the land unoccupied. 

The winter was a very severe one, much colder than the 

6 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 




V-Uiiil' 



winter weather they had been used to in England. Besides 

this, the colonists did not have 
proper food or houses. By the 
end of the winter about half of 
the Pilgrims had died. No 
amount of suffering, however, 
could discourage them, and 
none of them deserted the 
settlement, although they could 
have sailed back on the May- 
flower, which returned to Eng- 
land in April. 

92. The Leading Men of 
Plymouth. — We have learned 
how the Virginia Colony was 
saved by the energy and bold- 
ness of Captain Smith. Luckily for the Pilgrims, there was 

also among them a bold and 

capable leader. His name was 

Miles Standish. Although he 

was short in stature, he was 

broad shouldered and strong. 

He made up in courage what he 

lacked in height. It is doubt- 
ful- whether the colony would 

have lasted had it not been for 

Captain Standish. He was the 

military leader of the Pilgrims. 
While Standish and some 

of his brave followers were 



Plymouth Rock Monument. 




First New England Settlements. 



THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIES 



parleying with the Indians, the Httle captain sud- 
denly sprang at a big chief who had ridiculed him. 
Seizing the Indian's knife, Standish plunged it 
into his heart. In the fight which followed, the 
rest of the Indians were killed or put to flight. 
Acts of daring, such as this, made the red men 
have more respect for the white settlers. 

Another leader of the Plymouth Colony was 
William Bradford. He was governor, except for 
five years, from 1621 to 1657, the year of his 
death. He governed the people well. At any 
rate, they were so well satisfied with him that 
they elected him governor over and over again. 

Early in 162 1 a treaty of peace was made with 
Massasoit, the Indian chief. This treaty was not 
broken while iNIassasoit hved. But there was 
another tribe of Indians, the Narragansetts, who 
hated the whites. On one occasion their chief, 
Canonicus, sent to Plymouth a very war-hke mes- 
sage. It was a bundle of arrows, wrapped in a 
rattle-snake skin. For answer Governor Bradford 
sent back the skin filled with powder and bullets. 
The red men took the hint and Canonicus let 
the settlers alone. 

93. The Puritans. — The Pilgrims had sepa- 
rated from the Church of England because they 
did not believe in all the forms and ceremonies 
of that church. But there were many who, while 
they did not like the Church of England, still did 
not want to separate themselves from it. They 



84 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 



thought that the service and mode of worship should be changed. 
These persons were called Puritans, because they wished to 
purify the Church. They were bitterly persecuted. When 
they received news of how the Pilgrims were getting along 
in New England, many of the Puritans thought that they should 
also like to emigrate to America. 

94. Massachusetts Bay Colony. — The Puritans made a 
few settlements on the shores of Massachusetts Bay. Later 




Puritans Landing-. 



they bought a tract of land from the Plymouth Company. 
This tract extended from three miles south of the Charles 
river to three miles north of the Merrimac and westward to 
the Pacific Ocean. 

King Charles I. gave the colonists a charter and they took 
the name of the Massachusetts Bay Comi)any. This charter 



THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIES 85 

was taken to the new colony. It gave the Company the right 
to elect their own governor and a council who could make 
laws for the colony. 

95. Growth of the Colony. — Both the Plymouth and Massa- 
chusetts Bay Colonies grew rapidly. In 1630 a great emi- 
gration of Puritans took place. John Winthrop, a wealthy 
Puritan, sailed from England with eleven ships, carrying 
nearly a thousand persons, together with many horses, cattle, 
and abundant provisions. They settled at Salem and Charles- 
town, and later founded the city of Boston. These settlements 
grew rapidly. In the course of ten years the Puritans in 
America numbered about 20,000. 

96. Government. — The freest government any people had 
ever known was enjoyed by the settlers at Plymouth. It 
was democratic. This means that the people came together 
and made their own laws. They held ''town meetings," 
at which the people would talk over public matters and decide 
as to what was best for the colony. Later Plymouth Colony 
became a part of Massachusetts Bay Colony. 

The plan of government of INIassachusetts Bay Colony 
was set down in the charter. The governor and the council 
were elected by the Company. The laws were made by 
the Legislature or General Court. No laws were allowed 
to be made contrary to the laws of England. Church members 
alone had the right to vote. The representatives were elected 
by them. 

When Charles I. saw how well the Puritans were prosper- 
ing in the New World, he decided to take away their charter 
and give the land to some of his friends. When the Puritans 
heard of this, a small rebellion occurred. They made up their 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 



minds they would not give up their prosperous settlement, 
nor allow any but themselves to govern it. King Charles 
soon had enough trouble of his own in England, and his plan 
to take possession of the colony was given up. 

97. King Philip's War. — So long as Massasoit lived, the 
treaty of peace between the Indians and the settlers was faith- 
fully kept. When this chief died, his son Philip became the 

leader of the tribe. King Philip, as he 
was called, believed that the Puritans 
meant to destroy the Indian power com- 
pletely. Perhaps he was not far wrong. 
He believed that the white race and the 
red race could not occupy the same land. 
One of them must go. 

In 1675, Philip began a terrible war 
upon the whites. Many towns were de- 
stroyed, and a thousand men, women, 
and children were cruelly slaughtered. 
At last, however. King Philip was cap- 
tured. His head was cut off and placed upon a pole at 
Plymouth. Here it stood for twenty years, a terrible warning 
to the savage tribes. 

Many of the Indians taken captive were sold as slaves 
and shipped to the West Indies. Philip's wife and boy were 
among this number. With the death of Philip, the power 
of the Indians was broken and there was no more serious 
trouble in the Colony. 

98. The Character of the Puritans. — Although the Puritans 
had come to America to enjoy religious liberty, they were not 
willing to allow others to worship as they pleased. They 




King Philip. 



THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIES 87 

thought that Massachusetts was a place of refuge for them 
alone. Pcopic whose religious opinions did not agree with 
those of the Puritans were badly treated by them. Some 
were driven out into the wilderness, others sent back to England, 
while still others were treated with great cruelty or even put 
to death. Among those who suffered the death penalty were 
some Friends or Quakers who had gone to Massachusetts 
on account of persecutions in England. 

In spite of their religious narrowness or bigotry, the Puri- 
tans believed strongly in education. They were well educated 
themselves, and they wished their children to enjoy the blessings 
of knowledge. Soon schools and colleges sprang up in many 
parts of the colony. 

99. Massachusetts Becomes a Royal Province. — In 1684, 
King Charles II. took away the charter from the people of 
INIassachusetts. He was jealous of the growing power and 
wealth of the colony. He also accused the Puritans of break- 
ing the navigation laws by using other than English ships for 
their commerce. 

x^fter Massachusetts lost its charter, the people were no 
longer allowed to choose their own governor, but were ruled 
by a governor appointed by the King of England. The first 
governor sent over was Sir Edmund Andros. He was so 
harsh and unjust in his treatment of the colonists that a 
revolt occurred, during which Andros was taken prisoner. 
The people soon again lost the power of managing their own 
affairs, and up to the time of the Revolution, Massachusetts 
remained a royal province. 



88 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 



§ 2. NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MAINE 

100. New Hampshire and Maine. — In 1622, two years 
after the settlement of Plymouth, a grant of land called Laconia 
was given to two Englishmen, named Sir Ferdinando Gorges 
and John Mason. It extended east from the Merrimac to 
the Kennebec river, and north from the Atlantic Ocean to the 
St. Lawrence river. 

The first permanent settlement in this region was made 

at Dover, on the Piscata- 
qiia river in 1627. A few 
years later Portsmouth was 
settled. These settlers did 
not come to America on 
account of religious perse- 
cution, as most of them be- 
longed to the Church of Eng- 
land. They were attracted 
to New England on account 
of the profitable fur-trading 
and fishing. 

101. Division of the Territory. — In 1629, the territory 
was divided. Mason took the land between the Merrimac 
and Piscataqua rivers. To this he gave the name of New 
Hampshire, because there was a place named Hampshire in 
Ensfland, of which he had been Lord Lieutenant. 

Gorges took the part between the Piscataqua and Kennebec 
rivers. To it he gave the name of Maine. Later, IMassa- 
chusetts gained control of Maine and governed it until 1820, 
when it became a State of the Union. 

New Hampshire was also joined with IMassachusetts several 




Blockhovise in Maine. 



THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIES 



89 



times. In 1691 the King of England made New Hampshire 
a royal province. It remained so until the Revolution. The 
prosperity of the colony was in some measure due to the intro- 
duction of linen manufacturing. A large number of Scotch- 
Irish emigrants came to New Hampshire and settled the town 
of Londonderry. They brought the art of making linen with 
them. 

§ 3. RHODE ISLAND AND CONNECTICUT 

102. Roger Williams. — We have already learned how the 
early Puritans forced people to go to 
their church and to help pay for its 
support. It went very hard with 
any one who refused to obey the 
laws of the Puritans. But there 
were some persons who did not 
agree with their strict rules. One 
of them was a minister of a church 
at Salem. His name was Roger 
Williams. He thought that the 
government had no right to force 
people to attend any particular 
church. He said that religion was 
entirely a matter of one's own con- 
science, and that Christians, Jews, 
Mohammedans, or even unbelievers, 
should not be interfered with by the 
government. 

The Puritans were horrified at 
the liberal religious views of Rosier 
Williams. It is no wonder that he was ordered to be 




statue of Rog-er Williams. 



90 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 



arrested and sent to England. He escaped into the wilder- 
ness, however, and, although it was midwinter, he made his 
way to an Indian settlement on Narragansett Bay. Here he 
was well treated and he made his home among the red men 
until the following spring. Then with five friends he pushed 
onward, and finally (1636) founded Providence. Williams 
gave the settlement this name out of gratitude for the way 
in which God had helped him in his trouble. 

103. The Founding of 
Rhode Island. — A few years 
later, Mrs. Anne Hutchinson, 
a woman preacher, and some 
other persons who had been 
persecuted by the Puritans, 
also made settlements near 
Providence. They founded 
Portsmouth, Newport, and 
some other colonies. 

In 1644, Roger Williams 
obtained a charter from the 




Roger Williams' Route. 



Kins of 



England 



uniting 



Providence and the neighbor- 
ing setdements under the name of the Providence Plantations. 
Later the name was changed to Rhode Island. The charter 
gave the people of Rhods Island the right to govern them- 
selves. It suited them so well that even after Rhode Island 
became a State of the Union it kept the charter. It did not 
make a new Constitution until 1842. 

104. Soul Liberty.— Roger Williams was obliged to leave 
Massachusetts on account of his belief in "Soul Liberty." 



THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIES 



9i 



This meant that it was wrong to try to force a person to worship 
or believe differently from what his soul or conscience dic- 
tated. 

In Rhode Island no person was ever persecuted on account 
of his reUgious belief. The teachings of Roger Williams 
bore fruit not only in the colony of Rhode Island, but in 
the great nation of the United States. To-day, soul liberty 
or religious freedom, is guaranteed to all the inhabitants of 
the United States by our Constitution. 

105. Control of the Connecticut Valley.— While settle- 
ments were being 
made in various 
parts of New Eng- 
land by Puritans 
and other English 
settlers, a valuable 
fur trade was being 
carried on with the 
Indians by the 
Dutch settlers of 
New Netherland. 
The Dutch traders 
pushed out to the 
valley of the Con- 
necticut. Holland 
claimed this land as the result of the discoveries of Henry 
Hudson. 

England also claimed the territory on account of the voyages 
of the'Cabots. The English setders did not intend to stand 
idly by and let the Dutch have control of the region. Of 




Pilgrims on the Way to Connecticut. 



92 ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 

course, Ijotli nations could not own it, so there were many 
conllicts, and at last the Dutch were driven out of the valley. 

106. Settlement of Connecticut. — It was not the profitable 
fur trade alone which led the English to make settlements 
in Connecticut. There were many people living in INIassa- 
chusetts who did not like the way that colony was governed. 
They thought that all citizens, and not merely church members, 
should have the right to vote. On this account, in 1635, large 
parties of emigrants left Massachusetts. After travelling on 
foot through miles of wilderness they finally founded the towns 
of Windsor, Wethersfield, and Hartford. 

In 1639, people from these three towns met and decided 
on a plan of government. They wrote out a complete set 
of rules or laws, which they called the "Fundamental Orders 
of Connecticut." This w^as the first written constitution in 
America. It declared that all citizens should have the right 
to vote. 

107. New Haven. — In 1637, a number of rich Puritan 
merchants sailed from England. Their leader was a Puritan 
clergyman named Johi"i Davenport. They landed at Boston, 
where they remained for a while. The people of Boston wanted 
the newcomers to stay in their tow^n, but they were unwilling 
to do so. They desired to make a settlement of their own. 
In 1638 they founded New Haven. In the next few years 
a few other towns were settled. These joined with New Haven 
under the name of the New Haven Colony. 

The Puritan settlers of New Haven were as strict as the 
early settlers of Massachusetts. They would not allow any 
but church members to vote. Their laws were very severe. 
There were as many as fourteen offenses punishable by death. 



THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIES ()3 

The basis of their laws was the Ten Commandments which 
God had given to Moses. 

In 1661, King Charles II. of England granted a charter 
to Connecticut, which gave the colony the right to govern 
itself. At the same time New Haven was added to Connecti- 
cut. 

§4. TROUBLES WITH THE INDIANS. THE NEW ENGLAND 
CONFEDERACY 

108. The Pequot War.— Hardly had the first settlements 
in Connecticut been made before there was serious trouble 
with the Indians. A tribe called the Pequots lived in this 
region. They hated the white settlers. Sneaking through 
the woods or prowling near the settlements, they were often 
able to capture stray settlers. They would carry their captives 
away to be tortured or burnt alive. These outrages went 
on for some time, but at last the settlers made up their minds 
that they would put an end to them. 

Early in 1637 Captain Mason, with about seventy men, 
set out to conquer the savage tribe. He was helped by some 
men from Massachusetts and a number of Indians who were 
enemies of the Peciuots. Arriving at their stronghold shortly 
before dawn, Mason and his men set fire to the wigwams. 
Almost all the Indians perished. Those who tried to escape 
the fire were shot. This terrible destruction of the savages 
put an end to the Indian wars for many years. 

109. The New England Confederacy. — On account of the 
dangers from their troublesome Dutch and Indian neighljors, 
the New England colonists decided to unite so that they could 
defend themselves better. In 1643 the colonies of Massa- 



94 EiSIGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 

chusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven formed 
a union. It was called the New England Confederacy. 

Although the main purpose of this union was protection 
against the Dutch and Indians, it was also intended to show 
sympathy with the Puritans in England, who were then engaged 
in a revolution against King Charles I. 

The colony of Rhode Island was not allowed in the Con- 
federacy because its people had resisted the religious rule of 
the Puritans. The narrow-minded Puritans would not asso- 
ciate with those who differed from them in religion. 

The New England Confederacy lasted about fifty years. 
It gave the colonists more confidence in themselves and taught 
them the lesson that "In union there is strength." It paved 
the way for united action against the French, and later made 
easier that union of all the colonies against Great Britain 
which led to the founding of the great republic in which we 
live — the United States of America. 

§ 5. LIFE IN NEW ENGLAND 

1 10. Religious Character of the People.— The New England 
colonists were deeply religious. They came to this country 
that they might worship God in their own way, but they were 
not willing to let others have different beliefs from theirs. 
Everybody was compelled to go to church. They had strict 
laws against Sabbath-breaking. People were not even allowed 
to walk in the street on Sunday, except to go to and from 
church. 

In church, the men and women sat apart from each other. 
The services were long — sometimes the preacher turned the 
hour-glass twice before he finished his sermon. The boys and 



THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIES 



95 



girls who got restless were prodded with a stick in the hands 
of a man called the "tithing man." There was a rabbit's 
tail fixed to one end of the stick, with which the men or women 
who got drowsy during the long sermon were aroused. 




Puritans Going' to Church. 

111. Severe Laws and Penalties. — The New Englandcrs 
had strict laws for every-day life also. Men were publicly 
punished for lying or for swearing. Drunkards were some- 
times compelled to wear placards proclaiming their bad habits. 
For trifling offenses men were placed in the stocks or in the 
pillory, to be held up to scorn before the public. Sometimes 
these offenders were pelted with mud or stones by the pas- 
sersby. 



96 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 



Women who scolded too much were gagged, or even placed 
upon the ducking stool and soused into the water. Burning 
with hot irons, cutting off the ears, and flogging at the whipping- 
post were some of the cruel punishments used in those days. 

112. The Witch- 
craft Excite = 
ment. — Our fore- 
fathers were much 
more superstitious 
than the people of 
the present day. 
Among the foolish 
notions of olden 
times was a belief 
in witchcraft. This 
belief prevailed in 
^\^ Europe as well as 
in the colonies. 
People accused 
of being witches were treated very badly. In Salem, Massa- 
chusetts, the excitement over witchcraft became intense. Per- 
sons supposed to be witches were put in prison and some 
were even burned at the stake. After a time, when the people 
came to their senses, they were ashamed of these cruelties. 
They released all those accused of witchcraft and the excite- 
ment died out. 

It is difiicult to realize that such awful things happened in 
this country little more than two hundred years ago. To-day 
there are few, if any, people so ignorant or foolish as to believe 
in witchcraft. 




First Church at Plymouth. 



THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIES 97 

113. Occupations in New England. — In Virginia, the rich 
soil made agriculture a profitable occupation, and the great 
land-owners lived on large plantations. In New England, 
however, on account of constant danger from the Indians, 
the people lived together as closely as possible in villages and 
towns. They were afraid to live on big lonely farms or plan- 
tations. Besides, they found the soil rocky and not very fertile. 
Such farms as they had, therefore, w^ere small and produced 
barely enough to supply the family of the farmer. 

The fine forests furnished materials for ship-building and 
soon New England became famous for this industry. j\Iany 
of the vessels they built were used in fishing for cod and 
mackerel. Later they built whaling vessels and became expert 
whalers. They carried on an extensive commerce, especially 
with the West Indies. They also sent shiploads of lumber 
to England. 

114. Education in New England. — The Puritan setders 
wTre a very different class of people from those who had settled 
Virginia. They were industrious and earnest. They had 
not left England to gain w^ealth, but w^re anxious to make 
homes for themselves in the New World. Many of these 
settlers were quite well-to-do. They were, as a rule, well 
educated, many of them being graduates of English colleges. 

The New England colonists had a high opinion of the value 
of education. They built schools almost as soon as they built 
their churches, and most of the colonies passed laws compelling 
the people to educate their children. The boys were taught to 
read and write and cipher. The girls received less attention, 
as it was thought in those days that girls did not need education 
so much as boys. 



98 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 



The New Englanders believed in higher education also. 
In 1636 they founded Harvard College. This was the first 
college established in America, and to-day it is one of the 
greatest colleges in the world. 




Palisade Around Plymouth. 



SUMMARY 99 



SUMMARY 

THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIES 

Massachusetts.— In 1620, the Pilgrims, in order to escape religious 
persecution, sailed from England in the Mayflower. They landed at 
Plymouth and established a colony where they could worship God in 
their own way. 

They suffered great hardships during the first winter, and later had 
much trouble with the Indians. Their brave leader, Miles Standish, 
fought the Indians successfully and helped the colonies greatly in many 
other ways. 

Massachusetts Bay Colony was settled by the Puritans, who also 
came to America to secure religious hberty. They settled Salem, 
Charleston, and Boston. 

In 1675, King Philip, the Indian chief, made war upon the settlers. 
The colonists suffered severely, but the Indian power was at last com-- 
pletely broken and King Philip was killed. 

The Puritans were very strict and refused to grant religious liberty to 
others. They persecuted the Friends and Quakers and others who did 
not accept their views. They believed in education and founded 
schools and colleges. 

The people of Massachusetts first ruled themselves under a charter 
granted by the King. In 1684, the King took away their charter and 
Massachusetts became a royal province. 

New Hampshire and Maine.— In 1632, a grant of land was given 
to Gorges and Mason. It extended from the Merrimac to the Ken- 
nebec river. The first permanent settlements were made at Dover in 
1627 and at Portsmouth in 1631. The settlers were attracted by 
the fur-trading and fishing. 

In i62g, the land was divided into Maine and New Hampshire. Mas- 
sachusetts later gained control of Maine. New Hampshire, in 1691, 
became a royal province. 

Rhode Island and Connecticut. — Roger Williams, a Salem min- 



lOO ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 

ister, objected to some of the strict religious laws of the Puritans. To 
avoid arrest he escaped from the colony and later founded Providence, 
1636. 

A few years later Portsmouth and Newport were founded by Mrs. 
Anne Hutchinson and some other persons who had been persecuted 
by the Puritans. 

In 1 644, a charter was granted which united these settlements and gave 
the people the right to govern themselves. This was the beginning of 
Rhode Island. The people were allowed "soul liberty," or religious 
freedom. 

The fur trade with the Indians attracted English settlers to the valley 
of the Connecticut. They finally drove out the Dutch traders who also 
claimed this region. Other Englishmen from Massachusetts also settled 
in this valley, 1635, because they were dissatisfied with the government of 
that colony. They founded the towns of Windsor, Wethersfield, 
and Hartford. 

In 1637, New Haven was founded by rich Puritan merchants who 
had sailed from England. 

In 1661 , New Haven was joined to Connecticut, and the colony received 
a charter from the King, which gave the people the right to govern them- 
selves. 

The Pequot War, 1637, in which Captain Mason completely defeated 
the Indians, put an end to Indian troubles for many years. 

In 1643, Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven 
formed the New England Confederacy. Its main object was pro- 
tection against the Dutch and Indians. 



CHAPTER IX 
THE MIDDLE COLONIES 

§ I. NEW YORK 

115. Henry Hudson's Discoveries. — The people of Holland 
were great sailors and traders. Three hundred years ago 
their ships sailed to every part of the world that was known 
at that time. It was said that half the commerce of the world 
was carried in Dutch vessels. 

In 1609, Henry Hudson was sent out by the Dutch to find 
a short way to India. He did not find the Northwest Passage 
he was looking for, but he found something better — the great 
river that was named for him. 

Hudson also found a richer field for trade than the Indies 
he set out to seek. He became acquainted with the Indians, 
and found that they were willing to trade with the white man. 
Hudson found that he could get the best of the bargain with 
the ignorant Indians. For a few colored beads or other trinkets 
of little value he could get in exchange fine furs, for which 
civilized people were willing to pay high prices. 

116. The Dutch Claim New Netherland. — When Hudson 
told the people of Holland about his great discoveries, they 
became anxious to own part of this wonderful new country 
and to carry on this rich fur trade with the Indians. Ships 
were sent over and settlements were made on the banks of 
the Hudson river. The Dutch claimed not only the region 

101 



I02 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 



around this river, but also all the land between the Connecti- 
cut and the Delaware rivers. They named their possessions 
New Netherland, after their own country, which is some- 
times called the Netherlands. 

117. The West India Company.— The trading stations 
on the Hudson became more numerous and important. In 
162 1, a company was formed to take charge of them and to 
establish new trading-posts. It was called the West India 
Company, and was granted great power over all of New Nether- 




Dutcb Trading. 



land. It had the right to employ soldiers and to govern the 
country. Settlements were made on the Delaware river and 
as far east as the Connecticut. One of the settlements on 
the Hudson was called Fort Orange. It is now the city of 
Albany. 

118. Settlement of New Amsterdam. — One of the places 
which the Dutch settled was a small island at the mouth 
of the Hudson river. Its Indian name was Manhattan, 



THE MIDDLE COLONIES 



103 



Here in 1614, the settlers built a fort and a few lo- huts. In 
1626' a Dutch governor named Peter Minuit was sent over 
He brought a company of settlers with him, and they landed 
on Manhattan Island. 

Minuit bought the island from the Indians for a few yards 
of colored cloth, some beads and other trinkets, said to be 




Peter Minuit Purchasing Manhattan Island. 

worth in all about twenty-four dollars. This was a great 
bargain indeed, but even the shrewd Dutch traders did not 
know then how great a bargain it really was. This land is 
where the city of New York, one of the richest cities in all 
the world, now stands. To-day it is worth not only millions, 

but billions, of dollars. 

The Dutch called their settlement on the Manhattan Island 



I04 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 



New Amsterdam, for the town of Amsterdam in Holland. New 
Amsterdam grew rapidly and soon became a prosperous town. 
119. The Patroons. — Holland was anxious to encourage 
emigration to New Netherland. Large tracts of land were 
offered to members of the West India Company who would 
agree to send over a sufficient number of settlers. These land 




A Patroon's House. 

owners were called "patroons." They established great plan- 
tations, over which they had full power of government. They 
were practically lords or princes of their rich estates. The 
patroons often used negro slaves to assist the settlers in the 
cultivation of the land. 

120. Stuyvesant and the Conquest of New Sweden. — New 
Netherland was not governed very well. The people did not 



THE MIDDLE COLONIES 105 

have a share in makin<^ the laws, and some of their governors 
were poor rulers and mismanaged the affairs of the colony. 

The last of the Dutch governors was Peter Stuyvesant. 
He became governor in 1647. He had been a soldier and lost 
a leg in battle. He wore a wooden one, tipped with silver, 
and was, therefore, nicknamed "Old Silver Leg." Stuyvesant 




Peter Stuyvesant. 

was severe and sometimes cruel and tyrannical; but he was 
honest, and the colony prospered under his rule. 

Stuyvesant learned that the Swedes had settled near the 
mouth of the Delaware river where Wilmington now stands. 
This land was claimed by the Dutch. Stuyvesant marched 
some soldiers down to "New Sweden," as these settlers called 
l,heir colony, and took possession of it. 



io6 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 



121. England Takes Possession of New Netherland. — The 

region in which the Dutch had settled was part of the land 
claimed by England. 

The English were jealous of the prosperous Dutch settle- 
ment. They wanted the rich Hudson river country and the 
fur trade for themselves. Besides, they felt that the New 
England and the Southern colonies were in danger so long 
as the Dutch held possession of New Netherland, which lay 




English Fleet Arriving at New Amsterdam. 



between them. The English king Charles II., therefore, 
determined to take possession of New Netherland. He gave 
the land to his brother, the Duke of York. 

A small fleet of warships was fitted out and sent to attack 
New Amsterdam. In 1664, the British fleet arrived and took 
the Dutch completely by surprise. Governor Stuyvesant at 
first refused to surrender, and tried hard to stir up his country- 
men to fight, but the Dutch were peace-loving and would not 



THE MIDDLE COLONIES 



107 



oppose the English. "Old Silver Leg" was obliged to give 
up the city without a gun being fired in its defense. This 
gave the English control of the whole Atlantic coast between 
the Savannah and the Kennebec rivers. 




New Amsterdam in 1664. 



After the English got possession of New Amsterdam they 
changed its name to New York, in honor of the Duke. It 
was ruled under the " Duke's Laws" until 1685, when it became 
a royal province. 

§2. NEW JERSEY 

122. Early Dutch Settlements. — After the Duke of York 
had gained possession of New Netherland, he gave all the 
territory between the Delaware river and the Atlantic Ocean 
to two of his friends, Lord Berkley and Sir George Carteret. 
This region had been settled by the Dutch as early as 161 7. 
The settlements were nearly fifty years old when the Duke 



Io8 ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 

of York took possession of New Netherland, but they had 
not grown very large or prosperous. 

123. East and West Jersey. — The country that was now 
ruled by the two English proprietors was named New Jersey, 
in honor of Carteret, who had been Governor of the Island 
of Jersey in England. In 1665, an English settlement was 
made at Elizabcthtown, and later many more settlers came 
from New England and from Europe. These settlements 
prospered because the proprietors made good rules for govern- 
ing the colonies. In 1674, the proprietors agreed to divide 
New Jersey between them. Carteret took East Jersey and 
Berkley took West Jersey. Berkley sold his share to William 
Penn and some other Friends, and later (1676), when Car- 
teret died. East Jersey also was sold to the Friends. 

The new proprietors ruled with justice and wisdom and 
treated the Indians so well that they remained friendly w^ith 
the colonists. Many Friends settled in New Jersey, the people 
took to farming, and the colony became prosperous. 

In 1702, the proprietors gave up their rights to the King, 
and New^ Jersey became a royal province. 

§ 3. PENNSYLVANIA AND DELAWARE 

124. The Society of Friends. — The Puritans who settled 
in Massachusetts because they were persecuted in England, 
and the Catholics for whom Lord Baltimore founded a colony 
in Maryland, w^re not the only people treated badly on account 
of their religious beliefs. The Friends who settled in New 
Jersey went there to obtain religious freedom. They were 
called "Quakers," in derision, by those who persecuted them. 
They called themselves "Friends." 



THE MIDDLE COLONIES 



log 




The Friends belonged to a society that had been formed 
in England to persuade men to join a new religious sect. The 
preachers of this sect taught that all men should truly be 
friends with one another, that no man is 
better than any other man, and that all should 
be treated with equal justice. The Friends, 
of course, hated slavery. They also thought 
that war was wicked, and that it was better 
to suffer injustice than to fight. They be- 
lieved in plain speech and in plain dress 
and in a plain manner of life. 

The Friends worshipped God in a plain 
and simple fashion. They called their place 
of worship a "meeting-house" instead of a 
church. You may be sure these strange Quaker. 

** Friends" were badly treated by the narrow-minded people 
of other religious denominations. In spite of bitter perse- 
cution they grew in numbers and in 
strength. 

125. William Penn. — One of 
the greatest Friends that ever lived, 
indeed, one of the greatest men of 
our history, was William Penn. 
Penn became a Friend when a 
young man. He was thrown into 
prison many times because of his 
religion, but could not be made 
William Penn's father. Admiral Penn, 
of the British Navy, was a rich man. When Admiral Penn 
died, his son William inherited his money. Penn used his 




William Penn. 



to chance his belief. 



no 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 




wealth for good purposes. He and some associates pur- 
chased New Jersey, as we have already learned, and pro- 
vided a place there where op- 
pressed Friends and others might 
settle. 

126. Penn Obtains Pennsyl= 
vania. — Penn's ideas on free- 
dom and equality for everybody, 
especially for the poor and the 
oppressed, grew stronger as he 
thought about these things. He 
learned a great deal by helping 
the New Jersey settlers. 

Penn wished to establish a 
great free commonwealth which 
should be a refuge for the per- 
secuted of all religions and of all countries. The King of 
England owed Admiral Penn a large sum of money. William 
Penn suggested that the King should pay the debt by giving 
him a tract of land in the New World. The King had more 
land than money, and gladly settled the debt in this way. 

In 1 68 1, Penn received a grant of land which the King 
insisted on calling Pennsylvania (Penn's Land), in honor of 
Admiral Penn. It comprised the land west of the Delaware 
river. As we have learned, its southern boundary was not 
finally settled until Mason and Dixon's line was surveyed. 
This was nearly a hundred years after Penn received the land. 
127. The Holy Experiment. — Penn did not want this grant 
of land for any selfish purpose. He planned to use it for the 
benefit of mankind. He had seen the persecuted Friends 



Penn in Prison. 



THE MIDDLE COLONIES 



III 



find a refuge in New Jersey, and he determined to make Penn- 
sylvania a refuge not only for the Friends, but for any who 
might wish to settle there. 

He said that he would try the ''Holy Experiment" of 
establishing a free colony where the people could make their 
own laws. He wanted the people of Pennsylvania to live 
at peace with each other and with their neighbors, the Indians. 

128. Early Settle= 
ments. — Some 
Swedes and Dutch 
had settled on the 
banks of the Dela- 
ware river long be- 
fore Penn became 
proprietor of Penn- 
sylvania. These set- 
tlements had not 
grown large enough 
to be of much im- 
portance. 

-P e n n ' s liberal 
plans induced many colonists to risk the ocean voyage to 
make homes for themselves in Pennsylvania. In 1681, three 
vessels carried many Friends and some people of other faiths 
to the banks of the Delaware river. These settlers had a 
hard time of it. They lived in rude huts or sod houses. 
Some of them were obliged to live for a time in caves dug in 
the river banks. 

129. The Founding of Philadelphia.— William Penn deter- 
mined to found a city in this new province. He drew up a 




Caves in River Bank. 



112 ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 

plan for a city with straight, wide streets and space for gardens 
for the houses. He said he wanted it to be "a faire greene 
country town." He chose the name Philadelphia for the 
new city. This was a good name for a city founded by Friends, 
for it means "brotherly love," and the Friends tried to love 
their fellowmen as brothers and live at peace with all the 
world. 

In 1682, William Penn set sail for America in the good 
ship "Welcome." He had with him about 100 colonists. 
They entered the Delaware river in October and landed at 
New Castle, a small settlement in what is now the State of 
Delaware. Here he was received by the people and took 
possession of his great province with interesting ceremonies. 

Later, Penn sailed up the Delaware till he came to the 
Schuylkill river, which empties into it. This place had been 
selected as a site for the city. In 1683, the city was laid out. 
Not only more Friends, but immigrants from Germany and 
other countries, began to arrive and the city grew rapidly. 

130. The "Frame of Government."— In order to carry 
out his "Holy Experiment," Penn drew up a "Frame of 
Government" for his colony. This frame of government, 
with some additions that were made later, became known 
as the "Great Law." It aimed to make the people as free 
and happy as possible. It gave them the right to vote and to 
'make their own laws. It also gave them religious liberty. 
It had many other wise and just provisions. It directed that 
every child should be taught a trade or useful occupation. It 
also directed that prisons should be made better places, where 
criminals could be taught trades and made into good men 
instead of being cruelly punished. 



THE MIDDLE COLONIES O^ 

The Great Law was a remarkable document, not only 
because it was such a good plan of government, but because 
it was so far ahead of the laws of those times. Even in civi- 
lized countries in those days many of the rulers were wicked 
and tyrannical, the laws unjust and cruel, and the common 
people treated almost like slaves. The Great Law shows that 
William Penn had a broad mind, a big heart, and was a hundred 
years or more ahead of his times. 

131. Friendly Relations with the Indians. — William Penn 
believed that there should be brotherly love not only between 
white men, but that the red men also should be treated as 
brothers. He did not steal the land from the Indians. He 
paid them for it and did not cheat them when he made the 
bargain. Penn had cautioned the Friends who settled in 
Pennsylvania before he visited the colony to be friendly with 
the Indians and to treat them fairly. 

In 1683, when Penn arrived himself, he met the Indians 
to make a treaty with them. The meeting was held under 
a great elm tree which stood not far from the river in a part 
of the settlement of Philadelphia that was called Shackamaxon. 
The tree was blown down years ago, but a monument has been 
put up to mark the spot where this famous treaty was made. 

The pipe of peace was smoked by the Indians and the 
Friends and gifts were exchanged. The oldest and wisest 
Indian chiefs and William Penn made speeches in which they 
solemnly promised friendship. Penn said "we are all one 
flesh and blood." The Indians said that the friendship with 
Penn and his children should last as long "as the sun and 
moon shall shine." No oath was taken, as the Friends believe 
a promise is just as binding. It certainly was in this case, 



114 



ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 



for it has been said that "this treaty was the only one never 
sworn to and never broken." The people of Pennsylvania 
lived at peace with the Indians as long as the Friends ruled 
the colony. 




Penn's Treaty, 

132. Penn Purchases Delaware. — Of all the English colonics, 
Pennsylvania was the only one that had no sea-coast. Penn 
feared that in case a disagreement should arise at any time 
with the people of West Jersey or of Delaware, they might, 
block the entrance way to his colony and cut it off from the 
sea. Principally for this reason he secured possession of 
Delaware from the Duke of York (1682). The Duke had 
obtained control of this territory when the Dutch surrendered 
New Nctherland in 1664. 



THE MIDDLE COLONIES 



115 



133. Settlement of Delaware. — The Dutch had a trading- 
post on the South river (Delaware) for a few years, but were 
driven away by the Indians. The first permanent setUement 
of this colony was made by people sent out by Sweden for 
the purpose of gaining a foothold in the New World. In 1638 
the Swedes built Fort Christina and setded near where Wil- 
mington now stands. 




Old Swedes Church, Wilming'ton, Del. 



As we have learned, Peter Stuyvesant conquered New 
Sweden, as these settlers called their colony, in 1655, but had 
to give it up later to the Duke of York. When Penn became 
proprietor, Delaware had several thriving towns— New^ Castle, 
and some other small places inhabited by Swedes, Dutch, 
and English. 



Il6 ENGLISH COLOiSTIES IN AMERICA 

134. Government of Delaware. — The tract of land that 
Penn obtained from the Duke of York was known as the 
"three lower counties." It was often called the "Territories," 
to distinguish it from Pennsylvania, which was called the 
Province. It really was all Penn's Province and was gov- 
erned by him as proprietor. 

The people had the right to make their own laws. After 
1702, Delaware was allowed to have an assembly of its own 
where the laws for the colony were made. It continued to 
be ruled, however, by the "Province " until the close of the 
Revolutionary War, when both Pennsylvania and Delaware 
became independent States. 

135. Growth and Prosperity of Pennsylvania.—Penn's 
"Holy Experiment" succeeded. His colony grew rapidly 
and prospered. The principal causes of the success of the 
colony were the Great Law and the Treaty with the Indians. 
These wise measures would not have been sufficient by them- 
selves if Penn had not shown as much wisdom and justice in 
carrying out his plans as he did in making them. The liberal 
government he gave his people made every man feel free and 
on an equality with every other man. The friendship he 
established with the Indians removed the fear of savage 
massacres and bloody wars. 

The fame of these things spread and soon many people 
came from Europe to live a free, happy, and industrious life 
in Pennsylvania. Not only Friends, but other English people, 
and many Welsh and Irish, were among the immigrants who 
settled there. Thousands of hard-working Germans also 
came over. Many of these were good farmers. They chose 
Pennsylvania because there a poor man could get a small 



THE MIDDLE COLONIES II7 

farm for himself. In some of the other colonics the land was 
divided into large plantations owned by a few rich men. 

Pennsylvania was settled later than any of the thirteen 
colonies except Georgia, but it grew so rapidly that it soon 
became one of the greatest in wealth and population. At 
the time of the Revolution, Philadelphia had become the largest 
and most important city in America. It was in this city, 
founded by the peace-loving Friends, that the Declaration of 
Independence was signed. After independence was gained, 
Philadelphia was for a while the Capital of the United States. 

§4. LIFE IN THE MIDDLE COLONIES 

136. Character of the Colonists. — There were people of 
many nationalities in the Middle Colonies. There were 
English, Dutch, Germans, Irish, Scotch-Irish, Swedes, and 
Welsh. The Dutch influence was strong in New York and 
the Quaker influence in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Dela- 
ware. There was almost complete religious freedom in these 
colonies. 

137. Occupations of the People. — Except the great estates 
on the banks of the Hudson, where the Dutch patroons lived 
like noblemen, there were no large plantations in the Middle 
Colonies. There were, however, many farms. These farms 
were much larger and more prosperous than those of New 
England and produced a greater variety of crops. Many 
cattle were also raised, especially in New Jersey. 

The native woodlands furnished valuable lumber and 
there was a profitable fur trade with the Indians. Iron was 
manufactured from the rich natural ores, and there were many 
paper mills. Manufacturing was restricted very much by the 



Il8 ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA 

laws passed by England. Philadelphia was the largest city in 
all the colonies and the greatest commercial center. 

138. Education. — Education received more attention in 
the Middle Colonies than in the South, but there were not so 
many free schools as in the New England Colonies. There 
were many private schools throughout the Middle Colonies, 
however, and the Dutch had established many free schools 
before the English took possession of New Netherland. 

William Penn, in his Frame of Government, provided for 
a system of public education throughout his province, and 
the Assembly in 1683 passed a law which directed that poor 
as well as rich should be instructed. This law also provided 
a penalty for those who neglected to educate their children. 

Penn established a Grammar School in Philadelphia which 
for many years was free to all. It exists to-day as one of the 
best private schools in the country, and is known as the William 
Penn Charter School. 

The University of Pennsylvania, Princeton College in 
New Jersey, and Columbia University in New York, three of 
the greatest colleges in this country, were founded during 
colonial times. 



SUMMARY Iig 

SUMMARY 

THE MIDDLE COLONIES 

New York. — When the Dutch learned from Henry Hudson of the 
valualjle fur trade which could be carried on with the Indians, they sent 
settlers over to estal)lish trading-posts in New Netherland. 

In 1626, Peter Minuit, the Dutch Governor, purchased Manhattan 
Island from the Indians. The settlement on this island was named New 
Amsterdam. 

The Dutch West India Company granted large tracts of land on the 
Hudson to Patroons. These men lived like lords on their vast estates. 

Peter Stuyvesant, the last of the Dutch governors, conquered New 
Sweden, but was obliged to surrender it and all New Netherland to the 
Duke of York in 1664. New Amsterdam became New York. It 
became a royal province in 1685. 

New Jersey. — In 1664, the Duke of York gave New Jersey to 
Lord Berkley and Sir George Carteret. In 1665, Elizabethtown 
was settled. 

By 1676, New Jersey had been sold to WiUiam Penn and some other 
Friends. New Jersey became a royal province in 1702. 

Pennsylvania and Delaware. — In 1681, William Penn received 
a grant of land from the King of England. It was called Pennsylvania. 

Penn wished to establish a colony for Friends and the persecuted of all 
denominations. 

Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, was founded in 1682. 

Penn drew up a Frame of Government, which gave the people the 
right to make their own laws and insured them religious liberty. Penn 
made a treaty with the Indians, which was kept unbroken for many years. 
People from various nations of Europe were attracted to Pennsylvania by 
Pcnn's liberal government. 

Delaware. — In 1638, the Swedes made a settlement at Fort 
Christina on the Delaware. New Sweden was conquered by the Dutch, 
and later became the possession of the Duke of York. 

In 1682, Penn secured control of Delaware in order to obtain a sea- 
coast for his colony. 



PART III 

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGLISH SUPREM- 
ACY IN AMERICA 



CONFLICT OF CLAIMS 

139. The French in America. — While the EngHsh colonists 
had been securing possession of the Atlantic Coast east of 
the Alleghany Mountains, the French had not been idle. In 
1604, they made a settlement at Port Royal (now called i\nnap- 
olis) in Nova Scotia. This was three years before the first 
English settlement, Jamestown, in Virginia. In 1608, one 
year after the Virginia settlement, Champlain founded Quebec, 
in Canada. 

The French were thus getting a foothold in the valley of 
the St. Lawrence about the same time that the English were 
establishing themselves in Virginia. 

140. New France. — The French claimed the land upon 
which the New York and the New England colonists had 
settled and were anxious to get possession of it, especially of 
the valley of the Hudson river. 

Fortunately for the English, Champlain had once fought 
and defeated the Iroquois Indians and thus made them for- 
ever after the bitter enemies of the French. This powerful 
120 



CONFLICT OF CLAIMS 



121 



tribe occupied the region of central New York, and they were 
friendly to the Dutch and English settlers. They acted as 
a barrier between the French and the English and prevented 
the former from making any headway against the English 
in New York. 

Blocked by the Iroquois in this direction, the French 
pushed westward and explored and settled the region of the 





'i?"-^ 



s^^^fc^T;^/-.,. 



French Trading •with Indians. 



Great Lakes, as we have learned. They also explored the 
Mississippi river and some of its important branches. Where- 
ever they went they made friends with the Indians. In course 
of time they had many missions, fur-trading posts, and forts 
dotted over different parts of this vast territory. 



122 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGLISH SUPREMACY IN AMERICA 

The valley of the St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes was 
called New France, and the valley of the Mississippi was named 
Louisiana. What is now known as Nova Scotia and New 
Brunswick the French called Acadia. The name New France, 
however, was often used to mean all the French possessions 
in America. 

141. Conflicting Claims of French and English. — The 
English claimed all the land upon which the French had settled. 
That there had not been serious conflict between the French 
and English during this long period of settlement was because 
they were well separated. The dangerous Iroquois and the 
massive Alleghany Mountains were the barriers between 
these jealous rivals, but sooner or later the conflict was bound 
to occur. When war broke out in Europe between the mother 
countries, France and England, it was not long before their 
colonies in America were fighting also. 



CHAPTER X 
THE INTERCOLONIAL WARS 

§ I. THE STRUGGLE FOR ACADIA 

142. The Intercolonial Wars. — There were four wars 
between France and England, which spread to their colonies 
in America. The first three of these wars were called respec- 
tively King William's, Queen Anne's, and King George's 
war, after the names of the monarchs ruling in England at 
the time. 

The last and most important contest was called by the 
colonists the French and Indian War. It was really the 
final struggle between France and England for control of 
America. The contests that took place in America between 
the colonies while France and England fought their battles 
in Europe are often spoken of as the Intercolonial Wars. 

King William's was begun in 1689, and the French and 
Indian War ended in 1763, so the fighting between the French 
and English colonies in America extended over a period of 
seventy-four years. The long struggle, full of hardships and 
miseries for both sides, resulted in the triumph of the English. 

143. The First Three Wars. — The New England and the 
Middle Colonies bore the brunt of the fighting in the first 
three of the Intercolonial Wars. During these wars the 
French, with their Indian allies, again and again invaded New 
York and New England. They destroyed many towns and 
villages, burning the houses and killing and torturing the 
people. 

123 



124 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGLISH SUPREMACY IN AMERICA 

They were not so successful in New York as they were in 
New England, because the Iroquois Indians defended the 
Hudson and Mohawk valleys and inflicted great injuries 
upon the French. 

On the other hand, the English colonists showed that 
they could fight. They twice captured Port Royal — once in 
King William's War and again in Queen Anne's War. The 




Family Fleeing From Indians. 

French built on Cape Breton Island what was then the strongest 
fortress in the world — so strong, they said, that it could not be 
taken even if it were garrisoned by women. But though 
it was defended by brave Frenchmen, the English colonists 
captured it after a long siege. 

As a result of these wars, the French gave up their claim 
to New^foundland and Hudson Bay. The English also obtained 



THE INTERCOLONIAL WARS 



125 



possession of Acadia. They changed its name to Nova Scotia. 
Port Royal they renamed Annapohs in honor of Queen 
Anne. 



§2. THE FINAL CONTEST 

144. The Albany Congress. — The Enghsh knew that though 
peace was declared, the fight w^as not yet over. A Congress 
was called at Albany to make a treaty with the Iroquois and 
to form plans for defense against the French. 

Benjamin Franklin, a member of 
the Congress, proposed a plan of union 
for all the English colonies. His plan 
was not adopted, but it was one of the 
things that taught the colonists to see 
that "In union there is strength," and 
led to the great union twenty years after. 
145. The French Fortify the Missis= 
sippi Valley. — The French also were 
preparing to continue the fight for 
America. They wanted to hold the 
Mississippi Valley, which 
they called Louisiana, and 
they were also anxious to 
regain Acadia. They had 
not made many important 
settlements in the Mississippi 
Valley, but they had built a 
chain of forts along the river. 
They now began to take possession of the Ohio river 
valley, because this river was a highway that the Englisli might 




126 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGLISH SUPREMACY IN AMERICA 



follow to invade their territory. They built a fort on the shore 
of Lake Erie, and others on the Allegheny river, so as to be 
ready to defend their claims to the country. 

146. George Washington's Dangerous Errand. — When the 
English learned that the French were beginning to take pos- 
session of the Ohio valley, they at last became alarmed. Vir- 
ginia claimed that region as her territory. Governor Din- 

widdie determined to 
warn the French 
against trespassing 
upon English soil. 

The Governor 
chose George Wash- 
ington, a young man 
only twenty-one years 
old, to undertake the 
dangerous task of 
carrying a message 
to the French com- 
mander. W^ashing- 
ton was six feet tall, 
strong and fearless, 
and a good woods- 




Washington in the River. 



man. He made the 
perilous journey, 
through looo miles of wilderness, in the winter of 1753. 
After passing through many dangers he delivered the mes- 
sage to the Commander of the French at Fort Le Boeuf, and 
returned with the reply to Virginia. 

Washington had kept his eyes open and brought back 



THE IXTERCOLOXIAL \VARS 



valuable information as to the character of the country and 
the number and strens;th of the French strongjholds. 

147. The French Build Fort Duquesne. — The_reply that 
the French sent back with Washington was not satisfactory. 
Goyernor Dinwiddie now knew that the English would haye 
to fight for the country they claimed. The French not only 
refused to leave the disputed territory, but they drove away 

• isir^~'<^ „„: Iv" 



I' 111! 










>^ 



'Xf 




^^^liMy 



Surrender of Fort Necessity. 

the English, who were building a fort where Pittsburg now 
stands. The French finished this fort themselves, and named 
it Fort Duquesne. They now had a stronghold at the most 
important point in the Ohio valley, long called the Gateway 
of the West. 

148. The French Capture Fort Necessity. — In 1754, Washing- 
ton led a small force against Fort Duquesne. He found the 



128 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGLISH SLTPREMACY IN AMERICA 

French approaching in great numbers, so he fell back to Fort 
Necessity, a small breastwork he had thrown up. Here he 
awaited the enemy. 

The French compelled Washington to surrender this fort, but 
permitted him to march out with drums beating and flags flying. 
This was the first fight and the real beginning of the war to de- 
cide whether the French or the English should control America. 

149. The English Plan for War. — The British now^ knew 
that the fight was on in earnest. They sent General Braddock 




Washington at Braddock's Defeat. 



over to the colonies to command the English forces. The 
French and English settlements in America were separated 
by miles of wilderness, but there were certain great natural 




Conflict of Claims 



THE INTERCOLONIAL WARS 



129 



highways that it was important to secure. Four expeditions 
for this purpose were planned against the French. 

1. To capture Fort Duquesnc, the Gateway to the West. 

2. To capture Ticonderoga and Crown Point on Lake 
Champlain and proceed against Quebec. 

3. Against Louisburg and Acadia, to prevent the French 
of this region from helping Quebec. 

4. Through the valleys of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers 
to Oswego and Niagara. 

150. Braddock's Defeat.— In 1755, Braddock led his army 
against Fort Duquesne. He was a brave general, but did not 
understand how to fight in the wilderness and against the Indian 




Indians and French Attacking Braddock. 



alhes of the French. Against the advice of the colonists 
he marched his army through the woods with drums beating 

and flags flying. 
9 



130 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGLISH SUPREMACY IN AMERICA 



When within a few miles of Fort Duquesne, Braddock's 
army was suddenly attacked by the French and Indians who 

were hidden behind 
trees. JNIany of the 
English regulars were 
killed before they 
knew where the at- 
tack came from. The 
Colonial troops took 
to the trees and 
fought bravely. 
Braddock was mor- 
tally wounded and 
Washington, with the 
help of his Virginia 
troops, managed to 
conduct the retreat 
in some order. This was a serious defeat for the English. 

151. Declaration of War — Expulsion of the Acadians.— 
The fighting continued, but it was not until 1756 that Great 
Britain made a declaration of war against France. The 
English had more defeats than victories during the next two 
years of the war. They succeeded, however, in taking posses- 
sion of Acadia. They drove many thousands of the peaceful 
French farmers of Acadia from their homes. This caused 
great suffering, but was thought to be necessary to prevent 
these inhabitants of Acadia from turning it back into the hands 
of the French. 

152. The Turning=point of the War. — The turning-point of 
the war came when William Pitt, one of the greatest English 




Expulsion of Acadians. 



THE INTERCOLONIAL WARS 



131 




statesmen that ever lived, undertook the management of 

affairs. Pitt seemed to know just what was needed to carry 

on the war successfully. He appointed 

able officers to carry out his orders. 

In 1758, Washington conducted an ex- 
pedition against Fort Duquesne, and this 

time the stronghold was captured. Its 

name was changed to Fort Pitt, and the 

village at that place became known as 

Pittsburgh. In the same year Louisburg 

was captured. Ticonderoga and Crown 
Point were also taken, 
and the French were 
Canada. 

153. The Fall of 
Wolfe, who had command of the English 
forces, now proceeded up the St. Law- 
rence river to lay siege to Quebec. On 
account of its position on a high rock this 
was one of the strongest fortresses in the 
world. For months the 

English were unable to make an attack 

upon the citadel. 

At last Wolfe discovered a place where 

his men could climb the bluff. One night 

in the fall of 1759 they rowed w^ith 

mufffed oars to the foot of the pathway 

that had been discovered. All night long 

the English army climbed this steep path- 
way to the top of the hill. 




William Pitt. 

driven back into 
Quebec. — General 



General Wolfe. 




General Montcalin. 



132 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGLISH SUPREMACY IN AMERICA 



In the morning, Montcalm, the French commander, was 
surprised to find an EngHsh force of several thousand men 
before him. The French did not wait to be attacked, but 
came forth and gave battle upon the great plain called the 
Heights of Abraham. The battle was short and the French 
were totally defeated. 




Eng-lish Climbing' to the 
Plains of Abraham. 

Both generals died 
heroically. It is said 
that when Wolfe heard 
that the French were in 
retreat, he exclaimed, "God be praised, I shall die in peace," 
and that Montcalm's last words were: "Thank God I shall 
not live to see Quebec surrender.'' 

154. The Treaty of Peace.— The fall of Quebec practically 
ended the war, but the treaty of peace was not made until 
three years later. It was signed in Paris in 1763. 



THE INTERCOLONIAL WARS 1 33 

By the terms of this treaty France gave Canada and all 
the French possessions east of the Mississippi to England. 
New Orleans and all the land claimed by France west of the 
Mississippi were given to Spain. Spain ceded Florida to 
England. England permitted France to retain two small 
islands near Newfoundland for the use of the French fishermen. 

The war had settled the great question as to who should 
rule in North America. The English now had control over 
this great portion of the New World. 

Another important result of the war was that the English 
colonists, fighting shoulder to shoulder, learned to know and 
respect each other. They became friends instead of rivals. 
This association of the colonists during the French and Indian 
War had much to do with their success in the great War for 
Independence which occurred about fifteen years later. 



134 'i"HE ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGLISH SUPREMACY IN AMERICA 



SUMMARY 

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGLISH SUPREMACY IN 

AMERICA 

Conflict of Claims. — While the Enghsh were planting their colonies 
on the Atlantic Coast, the French had taken possession of the valley of the 
St. Lawrence, the Great Lakes, and the Mississippi. The English claimed 
all this land. The Iroquois Indians in the north and the Allegheny 
Mountains in the west for many years served as barriers between the 
French and English colonists. Wars between France and England 
in Europe led to conflict between their colonies in America. 

The Intercolonial Wars. — There were four intercolonial wars, 
called King William's, Queen Anne's, King George's, and the 
French and Indian Wars. As a result of the first three wars, the Eng- 
lish obtained possession of Newfoundland, Hudson Bay, and Acadia. 

The French and Indian War. — The French had begun to build 
forts in the valley of the Ohio river, in order to prevent the English from 
invading their territory. George Washington was sent by the Governor 
of Virginia to warn the French against trespassing on English soil. Instead 
of heeding this warning, the French drove away the English and built Fort 
Duquesne. 

The English planned four expeditions against the French: i. To 
capture Fort Duquesne. 2. To capture Ticonderoga and Crown 
Point. 3. Against Louisburg and Acadia. 4. Against Oswego and 
Niagara. Throughout the war, the Indians, with the exception of the 
Iroquois, aided the French. 

In 1 755 Braddock marched an army of British regular and colonial 
troops against Fort Duquesne. His army was ambushed by the French 
and Indians and was badly defeated. 

In 1 756 a formal declaration of war against France was made by England. 
The English suffered several defeats. They expelled the French farmers 
of Acadia to prevent them from aiding their countrymen. When William 
Pitt assumed control of affairs in England, he succeeded in turning the 



SUMMARY 



135 



tide of war in favor of the English. In 1 758, Washington captured Fort 
Duquesne. Louisburg, Ticonderoga, and Crown Point were also 
taken, and the French were driven Ijack into Canada. 

In 1759, the English, under General Wolfe, captured the French 
stronghold, Quebec. Both the English and French Generals, Wolfe and 
Montcalm, died on the field of battle. The fall of Quebec ended the 
War. The treaty of peace was signed in 1763. England gained con- 
trol of the greater part of N(jrth America. 



CHAPTER XI 

COLONIAL LIFE AND GOVERNMENT 
§ J. LIFE IN COLONIAL TIMES 

155. The Thirteen Colonies. — The story of the settlement 
of the English colonies has been told in a few pages ; but it took 
the mother country more than one hundred years to get her 
colonies established in the New World. Virginia, the first 
colony, was settled in 1607; Georgia, the last colony, was 
settled in 1733. 

There were thirteen colonies in all. They were scattered 
along the Atlantic coast from Maine to the Spanish possessions 
in Florida. They occupied a strip of land, about one hundred 
miles wide, between the Alleghany Mountains and the sea. 
West of these mountains was a wilderness where few white 
men ventured. 

156. The Inhabitants of the Colonies. — Though a majority 
of the colonists were English by birth or descent, yet people 
from many other nations lived in the English colonies. There 
were more Dutch than English in New York, and thousands 
of Germans and Scotch-Irish had made their homes in Penn- 
sylvania. There were Dutch and Swedes in Delaware. 
Irishmen and Scotchmen had settled in many of the colonies^ 
especially in the south, and there were many French Huguenots 
in South Carolina and Georgia. 

136 



COLONIAL LIFE AND GOVERNMENT 



The people of the various nationahties, as a rule, got along 

well together. They were loyal to the colonics in which they 

lived, and which their industry and intelligence had helped to 

build up. When the 

time came, they 

fought for their rights 

and liberty side by side 

with their English 

friends and neighbors. 
157. Pioneer Life. 

— Pioneers must be 

strong and sturdy to 

endure the hardships 

they encounter in a 

new country. We 

have studied about 

the sufferings of the 

early colonists. Be- 
fore they were able to build houses they were obliged to be 

content with whatever shelter they 
could get. In some cases they lived 
for a while either in natural caves or 
in places which they dug out for 
themselves. Tents and wigwams 
were also used until something bet- 
ter could be made. 

158. Houses.— Log-cabins were 
built by the early colonists as soon 

as possible. At first they were merely rude huts without 

cellars, the earth serving as floor. Later better houses 




Settler's Log Cabin. 




Old "Way of Getting a Light. 



138 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGLISH SUPREMACY IN AMERICA 

were built out of sawed logs or planks. Oiled paper, instead 
of glass, was used in the windows. 




Old Fire-place. 



As there were no stoves in those days, the open fire-place 
was one of the most important parts of the house. Great 

logs were burned in the 
fire-places, and the fire was 
banked with ashes at night 
to prevent it from going out. 
Matches had not been in- 
vented, and fire was ob- 
tained from flint and tinder. 
Iron cranes for holding 
kettles over the fire hung 
in the fire-places. Some 




A Street in New Amsterdam. 



COLONIAL LIFE AND GOVERNMENT 



139 




kinds of food were cooked directly upon the embers. Meat 
was held over the fire on a spit and turned while it broiled. 
All this is very different from the way cooking is done to-day. 

Of course, 
as time went on, 
the richer peo- 
ple built better 
houses. The 
Dutch Pa- 
troons in New 
York and the 
great planta- 
tion owners of 
the south had 
fine mansions 
with great stair- 
cases built of imported woods. Some of these colonial man- 
sions are still standing. 

159. Furniture. — The houses of the poorer people were 
scantily furnished. The tables, chairs, and benches were 
generally home-made. The early colonists had no carpets 
and lacked many other things which it would seem hard for 
us to be without to-day. 

Wooden dishes were used, except by the wealthier people, 
who had pewter ware or silver imported from the mother 
country. Knives were used, but fingers took the place of forks. 

The fine houses of the rich, of course, had good furniture, 
some of it quite elegant, brought from abroad. Specimens of 
this old furniture are still in existence and are highly prized 
as interesting relics of colonial times. 



Early Philadelphia House. 



I40 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGLISH SUPREMACY IN AMERICA 

160. Food and Drink. — The food of the colonists was 
coarse and simple. Corn-meal bread, mush, and molasses 
were staple foods. At first the colonists were obliged to depend 
largely upon hunting and fishing to obtain food. Later, when 
the farmers raised domestic animals, large quantities of salt pork 
and bacon were consumed. 

Tea and coffee were not used in early colonial days. 
The poor and middle-class people commonly drank home- 
brewed beer and hard cider. Rum and brandy were also used. 
The wealthier people had expensive wines upon their tables. 
Alcoholic liquors were indulged in more freely in colonial 
times than is customary to-day. Drunkenness was com- 
mon. 

161. Clothing. — Some of the poorer people dressed in 
clothing made of the skins of animals, leather, or coarse 
canvas. Home-spun clothes, made from sheep's wool, spun 
and woven into cloth by the women, were most commonly 
worn. The men wore knee breeches and coarse woolen stock- 
ings. 

The wealthy people imported silks and laces and other 
rich clothes from England. Silver buckles and buttons were 
used, and the dress of the men, especially of the rich southern 
planters, was almost as gay as that of the women. The people 
of New England and the Quakers dressed in a more simple 
style. 

162. Travel. — Travel was both difficult and dangerous 
in the colonies. Only a few of the smaller streams were 
spanned by bridges. 

At first there were few roads, and these were very poor. 
Some of the roads were mere Indian trails that could only be 



COLONIAL LIFE AND GOVERNMENT 



141 



travelled on foot. 
Over others, pack 
horses could be taken, 
but wagons could not 
be drawn. Later 
some better roads 
were made, and stage- 
coaches were used in 
travelling. One of 
these was called the 
" Flying Machine," 
because it made the 
journey between New 
York and Philadel- 
phia in two days. 
Express trains to-day 
cover this distance 





Courier. 



Early Travel on Horseback. 

easily in two hours. The 
Conestoga wagon is an inter- 
esting relic of the means of 
travel people used before the 
days of railroads. 

Travel by water was safer 
and cheaper than travel by 
land. Canoes were used on 
the small streams; small sail- 
ing vessels, called shallops, 
plied along the coast. The 
steamboat had not yet been 
invented. 



142 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGLISH SUPREMACY IN AMERICA 

163. Communication. — The difficulties of travel made it 
hard for people to communicate with each other. The tele- 
graph and telephone had not been invented. It cost so much 
to send letters that not very many were written. Letters were 
carried by the stage coaches and by couriers on horseback. 
There were only two or three mails a week, even between the 




Old stage-coach and Inn. 



large towns. In many parts of the country there was no 
regulaf mail delivery at all. 

164. Books and Newspapers. — The printing in colonial 
days was done by small hand-presses. The first printing 
press in America was used at Harvard College in 1639. The 
first newspaper was printed in Boston, i 704. It was published 



COLONIAL LIFE AND GOVERNMENT 



143 




only once a week. There were no daily newspapers in colonial 
days. 

Almost all the books in the colonies were brought from 
England, and few people were rich enough to own many. 
A Bible and an Almanac formed the 
library in most houses. Poor Richard's 
Almanac, printed by Benjamin Franklin, 
was very popular with the hard-work- 
ing colonists. They found, in the wise 
and witty sayings of Poor Richard, good 
common sense and advice worth follow- 
ing. 

165. Manufacturing. — There was 
very little manufacturing done in the 
colonies, because the mother country 
made laws against it. Many of the 
colonies could have become great manufacturing centers. 
They had able workmen, plenty of raw materials, cheap water- 
power, and a good market for their products; but these bad 
law^s stood in the way. 

Manufactured goods of every kind had to be brought from 
England. England could not, however, prevent the people 
from making things for themselves. The men made tools, 
farm implements, furniture, and articles of every-day use about 
the house and farm. The women used the spinning-wheel 
and made home-spun clothes. They also wove baskets and 
made straw hats. 

166. Labor. — Negro slavery existed in all the colonies. In 
New England the negroes were employed principally as house 
servants. In the Middle Colonies thcv were used as lajjorers 



Hand Printing Press. 



144 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGLISH SUPREMACY IN AMERICA 



or worked upon the farms. South of Mason and Dixon's 
line the negro slaves worked on the great plantations. Here 
they were employed in great numbers. 

There were many white persons who were held in a con- 
dition almost 





LATELY imported in the 
•Sloop Ju^upui (Jxjar^ very likely 
Negro Men, Boys and Girls, Rum, 
Sugar and MolalTes, to be Sold very 
reafonable by John Inglis. 

Alfo Choice good Adad.eira Wine at^ 
^ iS per Pipe for ready Money. 



To be SOLD, 

BY Benjamin tender at Demit 
RaUhf .d's tn Market-Jlt-eet, near the iiign 
of the Indian King, levcral Ncgroe Men, 
Women and Boy>., at a very rcafouablc Price 
for Bread, Flower, cJPc. 



Lately improt ed from A ntfgua 

and to be Sold by Edward Jones in 

Ifkcc Norris'j jUley. 

APARCFLof likeTy Ne- 
gro Women &GirIs from thirteen 
_ ^ to one and twenty Ycari of a|;e, and have 

al! baa the 5mall-Pox. 

Old Advertisement of Slaves for Sale. 





as bad as sla- 
very. Thous- 
ands of crimi- 
n al s of all 
kinds were 
taken from 
English prisons 
and sold into 
service in the 
colonies for 
terms of seven 
years or more. 
Besides these 
convi ct-ser- 
V a n t s , there 
were people 
who had bound 



themselves out 

for a term of years in order to pay their passage to America. 
All these bond-servants were treated like slaves, and whether 
their lot was good or bad depended on the kind of master they 
chanced to have. Some of them became wealthy and prosper- 
ous after they attained their freedom. 

There were very different ideas about labor in the different 
colonies. In New England and the Middle Colonies a man 



COLONIAL LIFE AND GOVERNMENT I45 

was ashamed not to work. In the South labor was looked 
upon as degrading and fit only for slaves. 

§ 2. GOVERNMENT OF THE COLONIES 

167. The Three Forms of Colonial Government. — The 

colonics all belonged to England and were under the rule of 
the mother country. All the colonies, however, did not have 
exactly the same form of government. As we learned in 
studying the separate colonies, some of them began with one 
form of government, which was changed later to another form. 
Other colonies continued the form of government under which 
they began, even after they became independent of Great 
Britain. 

There were three distinct forms of colonial government: 
The charter, the proprietary, and the royal or provincial. 

168. The Charter Form of Government. — Massachusetts, 
Rhode Island, and Connecticut each had a charter, or written 
agreement between the king and the colonists. The charter 
gave the people the right to make their own laws and to elect 
their governors, except that in Massachusetts the king had the 
power to appoint the governor. Rhode Island and Connec- 
ticut were so well satisfied with their charters that they con- 
tinued their government under them long after they became 
part of the United States. 

169. The Proprietary Form of Government. — Pennsylvania, 
Delaware, and Marj'land were governed by the descendants 
of William Penn and of Lord Baltimore, the original pro- 
prietors. The king had granted the proprietors certain tracts 
of land in the New World and the right to rule the colonies 
which should be established there. 



146 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGLISH SUPREMACY IN AMERICA 

The proprietors either acted as governors themselves or 
appointed governors to act for them. Fortunately for the 
colonists, Penn and Lord Baltimore were good governors and 
gave the people the right to make their own laws. New Jersey, 
the Carolinas, and Georgia were started under proprietors, 
but afterward became royal provinces. 

170. The Provincial Form of Government. — New Hamp- 
shire, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, 
South Carolina, and Georgia were all provinces under the 
control of the king of England. The king appointed the 
governors for these colonies. 

Although the people in the royal provinces were allowed to 
make their own laws, the governors had great power. They 
often used their power tyrannically and interfered greatly 
with the liberties of the people. 

171. Self=government in the Colonies. — The colonial gov- 
ernments were all alike in some respects — in each colony there 
was a legislature consisting of two branches, the lower branch, 
or representatives, being elected by the people. In these 
legislatures the taxes were levied and the laws were made. 
The legislatures were not allowed to make any laws contrary 
to the laws of the mother country. 

The right to vote was given only to men who owned a 
certain amount of property. A voter also had to be a member 
of church. 

In New England the people often assembled in town- 
meetings, where every man had a right to speak. In Virginia, 
county meetings were held, but not so frequently as the town- 
meetings of New England, because of the distance between 
plantations and the difficulties of travel. 



COLONIAL LIFE AND GOVERNMENT I47 

In these ways the colonists got practice in votini^ and in 
law-making, thus learning how to govern themselves. The 
conditions of their pioneer lives taught them to depend upon 
themselves and to endure great hardships. While conquering 
the wilderness, they learned to love the country, and seemed 
to breathe in with its free air a spirit of liberty and independence. 
It was this spirit that later became known as "the spirit of '76, " 
when they declared themselves independent of Great Britain 
and won a place among free nations as the United States of 
America. 



SEP 5 1308 



